Award came 'out of the blue' for helper Angela

Angela Sibley, 67, spends much of her time volunteering for a range of good causes and has had close ties to the Broomhill Day Centre since it was established 27 years ago.

Assuming the role of chairman six years ago, the pensioner volunteers at the day centre every Thursday, as well as providing holiday cover on other occasions.

Raised in Surrey, she has lived in Penicuik for the past 40 years. She married Andrew, 74, in 1978 – the couple's second marriage each – and between them have five children. They also have seven grandchildren, with another due next month.

An active member of St James the Less Church, Mrs Sibley is a member of the Mothers' Union and has just started a three-year term as president of the MU in the Edinburgh Diocese. She is also a member of the vestry at St James.

Along with other Mothers' Union members, the former primary school teacher spent 10 years as a volunteer play assistant at Saughton Prison looking after children while their mums visited inmates.

She said her Citizen of the Year award had come "out of the blue".

"At first I didn't believe it," she said. "I was busy doing something else and your mind isn't always on the telephone call.

"This was so out of the blue; I must have given the impression that I probably didn't believe what they were saying."

The volunteer was modest about her record of public service and couldn't fathom why she had been selected over others.

"With something like this I just had no idea I was even in the running for it," she said.

"I cannot say really that I am any different to a lot of other people who do a lot of volunteering within Penicuik. But to say it's an honour is an understatement, it's more than an honour. It's difficult to believe that someone thought that what I did was worthy of recognition."

Mrs Sibley said the reality of the situation had only sunk in a couple of days later when she received a letter of congratulations from a local councillor.

Through her association with the day centre, she forged links with a vulnerable adult group, which meets through Midlothian Voluntary Action in Dalkeith, and the Public Partnership Forum, which concentrates on health issues.

Mrs Sibley was presented with the honour by Penicuik and District Community Council chairman Bill Fearnley during a ceremony earlier this month.