A LADY who has been much involved in her local community at Penstone, near Colebrooke has been awarded the MBE for services to the Magistracy and the community of Colebrooke.

She is 62-years-old Mrs Jayne Clemence who said it was a privilege and an honour to receive such an award. It has been hard to keep the secret since the letter arrived from the Cabinet Office with the news.

For 23 years Mrs Clemence has been a Magistrate in London and more recently Devon in adult, youth and family courts. Her involvement in courts began when she was a Headteacher in South London working with young people experiencing considerable disadvantage.

The focus of her voluntary activities has been to improve the lives of people of all ages from deprived areas, suffering with a range of mental health problems within the community or in establishments dedicated to this work.

For 16 years she was a Trustee and later chairman of the Shaftesbury Society, a special needs education and care charity for children, young people and families living with disabilities.

In this role Mrs Clemence led the development of services for elderly people through setting up day centres and provision of support for families in need.

For some years she has chaired the Training and Development Committee of the North and East Devon Bench, numbering some 115 magistrates.

This has meant she has overseen the manner in which they conduct their work in order to uphold the standards of excellence the public expects from the courts system at all times.

From 2015 until 2018, Mrs Clemence has been chairman of the North Devon Bench of 100 Magistrates.

In the magistracy she has not only fulfilled the role of practising magistrate but has sought to improve her own and her peers’ roles in the administration of justice.

At Penstone, Mrs Clemence has been chairman of the Penstone Glade Community Association for 15 years. The Glade is a community hub used by local people for all sorts of public and private events.

She explains: ”We have built on the original vision and hope for the Glade and it is a thriving community feature used in many different ways.

"Quite a lot of things happening there have been the glue of the community. We have a fantastic neighbourhood and people with a willingness to work together and support one another.”

Jayne continues to have a passion for issues of justice nationally, and at a local level contributing to the well-being and safety of communities.

Jayne is married to Paul and recently they celebrated their Ruby Wedding Anniversary - they have family living nearby.

There are new challenges in the future as she begins her role as an Independent Panel Member for the Office of Police Complaints, and sits on a Panel for a South West Adoption Society.