RETIRED GP and community paediatrician Dr Jill Diprose, 76, from Dawlish, has received the British Empire Medal for her services to families with children with special needs.

More than 30 years ago, Jill, a highly experienced paediatrician, recognised there was a lack of help and support for such families.

Activities, Interests, Music, Support – AIMS – was established to help whole families meet in a safe and supported environment every weekend.

Jill, who still helps out every Saturday, said she was ‘surprised and gob smacked’ at receiving her award.

She said: ‘It’s a pleasure AIMS has been recognised and I am pleased and excited, it’s so lovely.

‘It’s lovely that people are able to go somewhere where they and their children are totally accepted and the whole family is involved and they support each other.

‘The whole family, siblings and parents, is involved and they support each other and it seems to work.’

The charity started with just a few families but has grown over the years to help up to 30 families.

Pre-pandemic, the families experienced activities such as abseiling, climbing, kayaking and hiking to name but some.

They feel so strongly about the impact Jill has had on their lives that they successfully nominated her for a Dawlish Town Council Citizen Award which she received in April 2017.

Jill explained there are very few groups such as AIMS which helps all family members.

She said: ‘There’s a lovely atmosphere.

‘Our volunteers and play leaders are very dedicated.’

She is still very involved with the charity, which is like her second family, and says she intends to be ‘until I drop’.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, families kept in touch through a What’s App group while face-to-face meeting was impossible.

The alternative ways of communicating meant families did not feel so isolated.

Jill added: ‘Local people have been very kind and supportive during what has been a difficult year or so and they have been very generous.

‘We are now starting the catch up with fund raising and we live in such a lovely area where people really do care.’

The citation for her honour reads: ‘An endeavour which began with the introduction of two families to each other is now an established charity supporting 20 to 30 local families.

‘Jill continues to work tirelessly alongside a small group of volunteers to raise the necessary funds to keep the charity running.’

She previously chaired the Northbrook Managers, part of the Northbrook Trust, to manage the Atkinson Secure Children’s Home in Exeter; a home for young people aged 10 to 17 who have been admitted under the Section 25 Welfare process.

She has also been a Justice of the Peace for 30 years.

She founded the local Homestart and ran this for over 10 years to further support families.