A 91-YEAR-OLD life-long Leytonstone resident has been honoured with an MBE for services to the community.

Violet Gostling, who founded the popular Leytonstone Festival 16 years ago, described the award as “rather lovely”.

Miss Gostling has been involved in numerous community projects and has been a governor at various schools. She remains on the governing body at the Acacia Nursery and Children’s Centre.

Miss Gostling, of Cheneys Road, said: “I thought it was rather lovely when I found out.

"It's nice to think people have thought that about you and for you. I'm very pleased.”

Miss Gostling was also heavily involved in the town twinning project between Leyton and Wandsbek, in north west Germany, which has its 60th anniversary this year.

“I got an award from the German republic for my work with Wandsbek in 1972,” she said.

A nurse dedicated to caring for people with rare blood conditions has also been included on the birthday honours list.

Bernice Burton, 61, of Raglan Road, Walthamstow, began working for the sickle cell and thalassaemia service in Newham in 1998.

She said: “Sickle cell disease is an inherited condition, mainly but not exclusively affecting people from African and Caribbean backgrounds.

“Thalassaemia is more common among the Asian community and the Indian subcontinent as well as south east Asia."

Grandmother-of-two Mrs Burton, who is also a trained midwife and health visitor and is originally from the Caribbean, came to Waltham Forest in 1973.

She has supported sufferers and carriers of the conditions, producing leaflets and videos, which were translated into French, Portugese, Swahili and Somali.

Sickle cell disease can also cause strokes among young children and Mrs Burton also gave up her Saturday afternoons to run screening programmes.

“I was amazed when I found out about the MBE – I really couldn't believe it,” she said.

Natalia Dawkins, of Leyton, received an MBE for services to vulnerable women in London.

She became manager of the Poppy Project in 2004, which provides accommodation and support to women trafficked into prostitution in the UK.

Danny Lafayette, of Chingford, also received an MBE for his work as knife crime policy advisor and chairman of The Network at the Home Office.