Mary '˜humbled' by award from Burntisland community

Mary Brownlee of Kirkcaldy Road has been given the Community Award 2017 from Burntisland Community Council after being nominated by a large number of local people.

She said she was “absolutely delighted” with the award.

“I feel quite humbled actually, she said, “A lot of people do a lot of good work in Burntisland so to be picked for the work I do in the community is very rewarding.”

Mary, who is now retired from the education service, helps run a Wednesday Club for older people as well as two Parent and Toddler mornings.

On top of that she is also the chair of the town’s Cancer Research group.

She first began volunteering a number of years ago with an over-70s group as well as driving a St Andrews ambulance and has been involved with a number of voluntary organisations since, including the Brownies.

“Since then I’ve always done something in the community,” she said.

“The Cancer Research group had quite a low profile when I joined so I’d like to think we’d raised that in the town.

“Also, the Wednesday Club was going to disband because there was no-one to take over, so my friend and I took it on and we’ve been doing it for the last 12 years and now have 45 members. And I get a lot of pleasure from the toddler group.”

Alex McDonald, chairman of Burntisland Community Council paid tribute, saying: “Mary was nominated by a very large number of people who really appreciate the work that she does throughout the community.

“She takes all of these things in her stride and I can safely say that no thought of reward or recognition ever entered her head.

“It’s entirely typical of her that, just before Christmas, she was with a group of carol singers entertaining the shoppers in Burntisland whilst raising funds and distributing lovely mince pies.”

Mary says she has no plans to stop.

“Volunteering is really important because if there are none then nothing happens. Volunteers are valuable.”