A COMMUNITY stalwart from Woodgreen near Fordingbridge has been honoured in the Queen’s New Year Honours list.

Andrea Finn led a campaign to save Woodgreen Village Shop and has received the British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to the community.

The self-effacing Mrs Finn told the Forest Journal that the honour was a reward for the “whole community”.

“To receive the BEM came as a surprise and I was slightly embarrassed because everybody has put in great efforts to save our shop,” she said.

“I worked in tandem with Sue Allpress. I regard the honour as a reward for whole village as it was a real community effort.

“The shop is such a hub for the community and it has brought the whole village together. It is great.”

Mrs Finn added: “It is nice to know that there is a visible expression of thanks.”

Mrs Finn fronted a campaign to rescue the only store in Woodgreen, which was set to close in 2006.

She formed a community association to run the store and launched a fundraising drive, which netted £350,000 to build a new, larger shop on Hale Road.

Woodgreen Community Shop opened in May 2011 after the five-year drive to get it up and running.