A DEDICATED pensioner who has helped thousands of people experiencing crisis has been awarded an MBE by Princess Anne.

Philomena Drake, former chairwoman of trustees at Citizens Advice Colchester, collected her MBE at Buckingham Palace with her family.

Philomena, 75, from Mile End, became an adviser at the Colchester branch in the mid 1980s before moving up to become the manager for ten years.

After a short break she became district manager at the Clacton and Harwich branches.

After she retired, she became a trustee for all the mid and north Essex branches including Braintree.

She collected her MBE with her husband, Bill, her on Matthew and his partner Selina, and her grandson Arthur.

Philomena, who was also a school governor at the Gilberd School in Colchester for many years, said she had had a rewarding career.

She said: “The work is tremendously interesting, you help people with benefits, debts, housing, anything people come through the door with.

“By giving people information and doing things on their behalf you are trying to resolve something and often you are successful which is very rewarding.”

Philomena has had the privilege of meeting royalty before as Princess Anne is a patron of the national Citizens Advice service.

However, she said she was still blown away by the experience.

She said: “My husband and I some years ago were invited up to a garden party at Buckingham Palace, but we didn’t really get to meet anyone.

“I have met Princess Anne before as she is a patron for the service.

“It was a really nice day when I collected the MBE.

“I found out in November I had been put forward but didn’t find out I had been chosen until a few months later.

“I spoke to Princess Anne and she was so knowledgeable on the service, it was lovely.

“It was fantastic to have my family with me, we stayed in London the night before.

“You were made to feel so special there.”

Colchester Citizens Advice is currently facing its own crisis after its funding from Colchester Council was cut from £50,000 to £25,000.

Now the service fears may have to close unless more money is found.