Pauline Ovenden, honorary president of Herefordshire ME/CFS/FMS Group, has been awarded the Herefordshire Voluntary Action 'Volunteer of the Year' Award in appreciation for her work for sufferers nationally and locally, and on a personal basis.

Pauline has been ill since the Royal Free Hospital epidemic in 1955, and was a founder member of the Herefordshire group 21 years ago. Her story was splashed over the front page of 'The Guardian' newspaper the day after the publication of the Chief Medical Officer's Report on ME/CFS in January 2002.

In a tribute, the Herefordshire group commented today: "In spite of receiving very little medical help herself, and maybe because of that, she has fought to get help for her fellow sufferers. We are thrilled that her unstinting work has been recognised by the wider public."