Ruth Edwards BEM: Mirfield community stalwart who is battling breast cancer ‘shocked’ at New Year Honours recognition
A Mirfield community stalwart has expressed her “shock” at receiving a British Empire Medal in the New Year Honours List.
Ruth Edwards BEM, 83, has been recognised for her services to the community in Mirfield, where she has lived since 1962.
Her exploits in the town have seen her take on churchwarden duties at St Mary’s Church, where she also helped to run a friendship cafe.
And, in 2017, she was the driving force in establishing Mirfield in Bloom which she continues to lead as chairman.
“It was a total surprise,” Ruth said when she found out about the news. “I was obviously very pleased but I was shocked to receive it as well. I have got letters after my name now you know!
“But you don’t do what you do for accolades. You do it because you want to improve the community and you want to help, and you want to do what you can.”
Mirfield in Bloom continues to grow from strength to strength with the gardening group set to represent Yorkshire at this year’s prestigious Britain in Bloom contest.
Ruth and her band of hardworking volunteers scooped the Silver Gilt in the Large Town category when the group last represented the Yorkshire region at the 2022 Britain in Bloom awards.
They have also been crowned as the best Large Town at the Yorkshire in Bloom awards for three years in a row.
On what the group means to her, and the community, Ruth said:
“I was retired and I looked at the town and thought it looked a bit tired. I was then going through Hebden Bridge and saw flowers everywhere. I came back and I was determined to make Mirfield like Hebden Bridge.
“But it is not just about making the town look lovely with flowers everywhere. It is all about community. It’s about bringing the people of Mirfield together and to be proud.
“Our motto is ‘love where you live’ and we need to encourage the young people - the future of Mirfield - to be responsible and to have pride in the town and have pride where they live and show respect for the town.
“We now have a few Duke Of Edinburgh students working with us and a youngster is on the committee. We are moving forwards and getting all the different generations involved.
“We have had a tremendous amount of appreciation for all the work that we do. And that’s why we do it. We don’t do it for the accolades, we do it for the people of Mirfield.”
And Ruth has been continuing to provide her services to the community despite battling breast cancer.
“It shows people that you can have a serious illness and you can keep going,” she said. “You can’t let it take over your life. The illness just became a bit of a nuisance on the sidelines but I am doing fine.
“I have almost finished all my treatments and I’m hopefully well on the way to recovery. I am not stopping, don’t worry.
“Once you retire you must not stop, you have got to keep going.”
Ruth’s recognition also caught the eye of Spen Valley MP Kim Leadbeater, who proudly said:
“Ruth is the inspirational Chair of Mirfield in Bloom - a fantastic local group who work tirelessly to keep Mirfield looking so beautiful.
"They have received many accolades, including this year, when they celebrated winning Yorkshire in Bloom’s ‘Best Town in Yorkshire’ award.
"Despite facing some very challenging personal health issues, Ruth continues to work tirelessly in our community and I was really pleased to see her commitment recognised with a BEM.”
Christine Sykes, Ruth’s “right-hand man” at Mirfield in Bloom, added:
“She has been absolutely wonderful. She has been so diligent and, despite her health issues, it was business as usual all summer.
“She has not let anything stop her. Nobody deserves it more.”