The work of a trio of Powys residents has been formally honoured after they received royal recognition at a presentation at Powis Castle.

Robert Robinson, of Llanfair Caereinion has been awarded the MBE for public service and volunteer work, while Jayne Griffiths of Llandrindod Wells also received an MBE for her relentless community work.

Llanidloes resident Andrew Ebben, who is a swimming pool safety expert credited with writing industry standard texts on pool and beach lifeguard operation, also received a British Empire Medal (BEM).

All three were presented with their awards by Lord Lieutenant of Powys Mrs Tia Jones at a ceremony at Powis Castle on Friday, September 24.

Robert Robinson, who served as clerk to Welshpool Town Council for a number of years and is now town clerk of Llanfair Caereinion Town Council, is a volunteer with the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway, and has also been involved in the MS and Dementia societies.

He confessed to being "amazed" when he found out about the award, and paid tribute to the people he has worked with over the years and the support of his wife.

"I'm very proud. It's nice to be recognised and if I've provided something that's appreciated by the community then that's great.

"There's some tremendous people around and not everyone gets recognised and without them we wouldn't have the society we have today."

Jayne Griffiths, who has raised over £100,000 for groups and organisations in Radnorshire, was also awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Jayne, a Tesco community champion for the last four years, worked as a team leader in the superstore's clothing department in 2010 before moving on to counters manager, taking up the community role in 2016.

Her remit as a senior community champion covers the whole of Radnorshire, including Rhayader, Presteigne, Knighton, Kington, as well as Builth Wells, Brecon and Hay – while she oversees a team of 21 other champions, which extends to West and South Wales too.

"I feel unbelievably proud. I don't know how to explain it really, it's just an absolute privilege.

"I knew in May and I was told I wasn't allowed to say anything for six months - for me to be quiet and not say anything was unbelievably difficult!

"They always tease me in work about 'ah, you'll end up with an MBE' so when I had the news I was itching to drop a few hints!

"All I want to do is help and support people, I'm taking on some new adventures and I'm just going to enjoy life and carry on helping people as best as I can."

Andrew Ebben, originally from Leicestershire, had moved to Van near Llanidloes during lockdown, and was awarded the BEM for services to swimming pool safety and lifeguard development.

While working at Birmingham City Council Mr Ebben was responsible for the overall development of safety training, safety management and accident prevention strategies for the City’s swimming and aquatic facilities, parks and areas of open water and for the investigation of accidents.

Later, while working for the Royal Life Saving Society in the 1980's and early 90's he developed a rescue and first aid training programme for pool lifeguards, which became the UK benchmark programme and qualification and is still in use today.

"It's a bit of a legacy and it's why I feel so completely humbled about it," he said.

"I'm very humbled. It was a complete shock.

"The post came on a Saturday morning, we'd just come back from shopping and there was a letter with HMS on it, I assumed it was the tax man.

"I stood in the kitchen with this letter and the colour drained out of my face - my wife asked me if I was alright and I said 'You'd better read this!', I just didn't know what to say. I was absolutely blown away."