BERTHA by Royal appointment... Big-hearted charity worker Bertha Heyes is pictured outside Buckingham Palace after receiving her MBE from Prince Charles for services to St Helens Hospital.
The sprightly 80-year-old, from Sandringham Drive, Marshalls Cross, founded the St Helens Hospital League of Friends in 1955 and for the last 42 years, she and the other volunteers have organised numerous social occasions to raise money for the hospital.
And Bertha, who originally started the league to show her gratitude for the treatment received at the hospital by her late husband Frank, really enjoyed her big day. She told the Star: "It was absolutely bitter cold on the day but I had a wonderful time. The whole family came along to see me and Prince Charles was very nice and wished all the League of Friends volunteers well. It was a day to remember.
"I've been a widow now for 32 years but the hospital were wonderful to Frank and to me and I just wanted to do something to repay their kindness and hard work."
BERTHA proudly displays her MBE outside Buckingham Palace with sons Brian (left) and David, and her daughter Joan Jackson.
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