A WOMAN who has devoted her life to caring for the terminally ill is among several west Wiltshire residents to be recognised in the New Year's honours list.

Marjorie Coulthard, 60, retired this year after 25 years as a physiotherapist working with patients at Dorothy House Hospice in Winsley.

It was announced this week she will be travelling to London to receive an MBE for services to healthcare.

Mrs Coulthard, of Church Lane, Winsley, said: "I am delighted and absolutely amazed. It came as a total shock.

"It is a team at Dorothy House and the most important members of the team are the patients. So this is really for them as well."

A physiotherapy clinical specialist in palliative care, Mrs Coulthard worked with the hospice since the 1970s, taking on a part-time job in 1979 as physiotherapist and leader of day care at the original site in Bloomfield Road, Bath.

On a national level she has also set up a newsletter for day care leaders, and formed a group leading to the founding of the National Association of Day Care Leaders in Palliative Care.

Although she is now retired she still provides cover at Dorothy House when needed and returns about once a month.

Animal rescuer Mairwen Guard is to receive her MBE for the work she has done to save abandoned pet rabbits.

Mrs Guard, who runs Cotton Tails rabbit sanctuary in Westbury, said she was delighted her work had been recognised.

"I'm absolutely over the moon. I'm really pleased. Animal work often gets no reward or appreciation.

"I've asked myself so many times why do I bother when another box of abandoned rabbits appears on the doorstep. But to get something like this is wonderful," she said.

Mrs Guard, who has a scientific background, first started caring for rabbits 14 years ago after she recognised a problem with abandoned animals in the south west when she nursed a young brain damaged rabbit back to health. She started the charity Cotton Tails, which takes in rabbits and guinea pigs, which are then vaccinated and neutered before being offered for adoption.

She said part of the problem was the belief rabbits were suitable pets for young children and urged parents to reconsider buying rabbits for their children.

Other local people to be named in the New Year's honours include Trowbridge man Stephen Cowdry, a vehicle electrician for the Ministry of Defence, who received an MBE.

Captain Paul Whyte, also from Trowbridge, received an MBE for his exceptional performance as commanding officer of RFA Diligence, undertaking relief work in the aftermath of the Asian tsunami.

The award states:
"Your dedication and skill in delivering timely and sustained support to a stricken community in the face of an immense natural disaster was remarkable and in the finest traditions of the service."

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