A medal for the housewife who turned shopkeeper to save a community hub

One by one, other shops in Cawood, near Selby, had closed since her family arrived nearly four decades ago, leaving the post office-cum-newsagent’s as the hub of the village.

The housewife with three children persuaded her husband John, who was working long and varied shifts on the railways, to take out a mortgage to save the business which she and her family have now run for the past 12 years.

The village shop opens seven days a week to provide a lifeline to local people.

It has reinforced its role at the heart of the village community by selling books, tickets for local events and running charity collections.

Mrs Miles said she received the surprise news the day before her 57th birthday and felt “very humbled” to have been awarded a British Empire Medal for services to the community in Cawood.

“I think there are more deserving people,” she said.

“What I do is because I love the village I live in. When we first moved in to the village there were three shops but now there’s only me.

“I would like to say I wouldn’t have been able to do this without the support of my loving husband and children.”

The former parish council chairman plans to celebrate tonight with a gathering for friends who were yet to hear of her honour.