A WOODFORD Green with Essex Ladies legend has been recognised for her services to athletics by being included on the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list.

Jean Pickering was awarded an MBE for her contribution to the sport, as well as her service to the Ron Pickering Memorial Fund, a trust she helped set up after the death of her husband and famed athletics coach and commentator, which provides support for some of the country’s leading young athletes.

Mrs Pickering has made a huge impact both on and off the track.

Running under her maiden name of Desforges, she was part of the triumphant 4x100m relay team at the 1950 European Championships; a team that included fellow Essex Ladies member Dorothy Manley.

She was also a part of the bronze-winning Great Britain team at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland, before going on to win the long jump at the European Championships two years later.

The feat made her the only British athlete to have won a European gold medal in both a track and field event, a record that remains to this day, while she was also the first woman from these shores to jump over 20 feet.

Mrs Pickering, now 80, held the title of president of Essex Ladies before the club amalgamated with Woodford Green in 1998 and she is a life member of the club.

Fellow member and a coach with Woodford, Jean Burgess, from Chingford, claimed there was no award too great for Mrs Pickering, having worked closely with her during her 50 years at the club.

“Jean is a just a wonderful, wonderful lady,” gushed Mrs Burgess. “She was a legend when I joined back in 1958 and when she became president she was great.

“She’s been very generous to so many athletes and she is held in great respect by all of them.”

In her heyday, Mrs Pickering was a talented hurdler, and competed for Great Britain on a number of occasions over 80metres.

Such was her dedication to the cause that she would frequently practice her hurdling up and down the school corridors during the winter months.

That committed attitude has clearly served her well, and it is no wonder that she has finally been recognised as one of the leading ambassadors for athletics.