JUBILEE medals have been awarded to members of the Portishead community in recognition of their dedication to public service.

The crew and shore helpers of the Portishead and Bristol Lifeboat Trust who have served for more than five years, were invited to a presentation at the Downs School in Wraxall where North Somerset MP Dr Liam Fox presented them with the distinguished awards as part of the Queen’s Jubilee year celebrations.

Dr Fox said: “To present this medal to members of the trust gives me an enormous amount of pleasure and as a Member of Parliament, acting as patron to the Portishead and Bristol Lifeboat is one of the greatest honours.”

Crew members say they were surprised and are very proud of the medals.

Dave Herbert, who has been with the trust since its creation in 1995, said: “This is a massive honour to be recognised by Her Majesty the Queen, for the important work the trust does on the Bristol Channel.”

Culture, Olympics, media and sport secretary, Jeremy Hunt said about the medals: “The Queen has dedicated her life to the service of this country and the Diamond Jubilee offers us the opportunity to celebrate the commitment, loyalty and faithfulness with which she has led the country over the last sixty years. It is right we reward those people who, like The Queen, also dedicate their lives to public good and who represent the very best of the British spirit.”

Long serving members of HM Coastguard from the Portishead station were also due to receive Jubilee medals this week, but after the sudden heart attack of one of the team members, the ceremony was postponed.