Queen’s Birthday Honours List for Halton Volunteer Veronica
The Thrift Shop Manager at RAF Halton, Mrs Veronica Tuppen, from Wendover, has been awarded the BEM in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for her voluntary service to RAF Families and to Charity.
Veronica has volunteered for over 40 years, 25 years of which have been in service to RAF Halton’s Thrift Shop. She has donated thousands of pounds to local and service charities over the years.
Veronica said: “It’s been a busy few days with so many well-wishers and two letters of congratulations came from the Duchess of Cornwall who is our honorary Air Commodore and the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford. My colleagues nominated me in conjunction with the Station Charity Staff. I informed my sons by telling them to look in the Daily Telegraph and since then I have been teased by them, but both they and my patient and supportive husband are thrilled for me. I’m extremely honoured to receive the medal.”
Veronica’s husband, Henry, was the Commanding Officer of St Mary’s Hospital, which was part of the RAF Halton site. It was here that Veronica started her volunteering. She continued: “I just wanted to get in and try to help out, we have a nice home in Wendover but I couldn’t stay indoors all the time, I wanted to be involved.”