A WOMAN who has dedicated her life to helping people who become disabled later in life has spoken of her shock and delight at receiving an MBE in the New Year's Honours list.

Gulrook Begum, 56, of Waltham Forest, will be awarded the honour for her services to healthcare.

She said: “I was completely shocked to find out I had been nominated but very happy and my family are very proud.

“My manager nominated me and somehow managed to keep it all quiet. I can remember her asking me questions about my job but I thought it was to do with my salary.”

Mrs Begum has been working for NHS Tower Hamlets (primary care trust) since 1988.

In 1990 a counselling service for people who become disabled later in life was set up by the trust.

But none of the counsellors could speak Bengali, the language of a large section of the Tower Hamlets community.

Bangladesh-born Mrs Begum, who moved to Walthamstow in 1979, became a counsellor for the service and worked hard to set up a specialist service for Bangladeshis.

She said she faced a challenge initially to let people know the service even existed. She said: “I went to every GP to ask them to let people know.

“It was difficult because there is no word in Bengali for 'counsellor' so people thought it meant 'councillor' and that I was to do with government.”

Mrs Begum has promoted the benefits of “talking” therapies and has organised events including a disability awareness day, which last year attracted more than 1,000 visitors.

She said: “I like working to help other people. I got it from my father Abdul Mosabbir, who believed we should not just think about ourselves.”

A spokesman for NHS Tower Hamlets said: “We are absolutely delighted that Gulrook has been recognised for the fantastic work she has carried out at the disability counselling service over the years.”

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