WHETHER it was tea and biscuits or champagne on ice, two community stalwarts celebrated with equal gusto after picking up their MBEs.

Whaddon's Claude Bullingham and Royal National Lifeboat Institution secretary Faith Harvey were presented with their honours on Friday.

Mr Bullingham was unable to make the trip to pick his up due to ill health but a piece of the palace came to him in the guise of Gloucestershire's Lord Lieutenant Sir Henry Elwes instead.

The Queen's representative dropped into the Parklands community centre to present 80-year-old Mr Bullingham with the medal, surrounded by his family and friends.

Mr Bullingham's wife Doreen said: "It was a really special day. I'm so proud of him. He truly deserves it for everything he's done over the years.

"He's helped a lot of children get off the streets, put on football for them in the summer and worked incredibly hard for the council.

"He is a community stalwart.

"When he was told he was getting it he took it all in his stride – more so than me. I know he was overjoyed."

The party continued afterwards but there was no champagne popped by the revellers in Whaddon.

Doreen said: "We did get a bottle for when got home but it was a tiring day so we celebrated with a cup of tea and a biscuit."

Mr Bullingham, who lives in Clyde Crescent, was named in the 2009 New Year Honours list but suffered a stroke before he could receive the award.

The former chairman of Whaddon Residents' Association was singled out for the years he spent striving to improve the community.

Faith Harvey, who lives in Union Street in Cheltenham, toasted with her partner, Ron, and family after making the trip to Windsor Castle to pick up her MBE.

She has been part of the RNLI's regional branch for the past 39 years, helping to raise thousands of pounds.

Faith, who bought a new outfit specially for the occasion, said: "When I got the letter through to tell me I was getting one I was staggered. I couldn't speak for 10 minutes and as everyone knows that's highly unusual for me. I've been to Buckingham Palace twice before in relation to the RNLI, including the garden party, but this was extra special."