Llanarth old soldier ‘very touched’ by award (From South Wales Argus)

Llanarth old soldier ‘very touched’ by award

5:30pm Wednesday 4th January 2012 in News

A MONMOUTHSHIRE man said he was “very touched”

about receiving an award recognising more than two decades helping ex-servicemen and their families.

Bob Lister, 86, from Llanarth, was nominated for an Order of Mercy last year.

The Order, awarded to a maximum of 50 people a year, is handed out by the League of Mercy Foundation to people with more than seven years of ‘outstanding service’ to volunteer work.

Mr Lister will be formally presented with his award this month by the Vicar of Risca, the Venerable John Blackburn.

A former soldier, Mr Lister served in the Army between 1944 and 1979. He reached the rank of Brigadier in the Royal Engineers before working as a civil servant in the Ministry of Defence until retiring in 1989.

In 1991, he started volunteering at the Royal Homes for Officers’ Widows and Daughters in London. He was involved in a campaign to raise £500,000 to refurbish a 75-flat building which housed families of ex-servicemen.

When he moved to Gwent in 2003 he joined the local branch of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) and became divisional secretary for Abergavenny in 2005.

The branch spends between £25,000 and £30,000 a year helping families, including buying and fitting stair lifts and renovating houses. He finished in 2009.

Mr Lister said: “I’m frankly amazed and very touched.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my work. The last thing I expected was to be rewarded.”