A Dundee woman who has dedicated 75 years of her life to the church has been given a rare honour from the Queen.
Margaret Ingram, who lives on the Kingsway, has been awarded a Maundy Gift, given annually in recognition of contributions to the church.
When she heard news of the award Mrs Ingram, a member of the congregation at Meadowside St Paul’s, was surprised.
She said: “My husband and I just used what skills we had to serve the church.
“It has been my life.”
The awards are given on Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday is the day during Holy Week that commemorates the Washing of the Feet and Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles, as described in the canonical gospels.
It is the fifth day of Holy Week, preceded by Holy Wednesday and followed by Good Friday.
Normally, recipients travel to London to receive a leather purse containing coins.
Instead the award arrived by post, on the same day Mrs Ingram received her Covid-19 vaccination.
Mrs Ingram’s son-in-law, Roger Wightman said: “Only 95 of these were awarded this year, the same number as the queen’s age, so it’s pretty special for her.”
Mrs Ingram, 93, was nominated by the Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland in recognition of the years of exemplary Christian service that she has given over the years to the Dundee community.
Born in Careston, Angus in 1928, Mrs Ingram moved to Dundee in 1946, just after the end of WW2, to train as a primary school teacher.
During her college years, she joined Meadowside St Paul’s (then known as St Paul’s) in the Nethergate and has been a member of that congregation for over 75 years. It was there that she met her husband, the late Ross Ingram and they were happily married for almost 60 years.
Throughout her time at St Paul’s Mrs Ingram has been fully involved in the life of the church, as a member of the choir, leading the Brownies as Brown Owl, she was also District Commissioner, volunteering in the church’s Cornerstone Coffee shop, President of the Women’s Guild branch, a Dorcas member, and a regular baker for coffee mornings. She has also been an Elder at St Paul’s for over 50 years.
Mrs Ingram received two small leather purses of coins and a letter from The Queen. One purse contains £5.50, and in the past this would have been an allowance for clothing and provisions.
A specially minted £5 coin commemorates The Queen’s 95th Birthday and the 50 pence coin portrays the 50th anniversary of Decimal Day in 1971. The second purse contains Maundy coins to the value 95 pence, corresponding to The Queen’s age.