A WOMAN from Hawkshaw has been awarded an OBE for her charity work in China.

Mary Kate Brown grew up in the village and attended Hollymount Primary School, and Mount St Joseph Grammar School in Bolton, before leaving the area to spend a year working in a refugee camp in Sudan.

She then studied Arabic and Islamic studies at Exeter University, and has spent the past 12 years doing charity work in the Far East.

In 2013, she was made director of Roundabout, a social enterprise which acts as a central point for people to donate unwanted items, and is run by volunteers.

Roundabout was the first charity store in mainland China, and has collection points across Beijing.

Mrs Brown learned about the honour in a call from the UK’s ambassador to China three weeks ago.

She said: “I was very shocked.

“There are so many incredible projects headed up by British people so it is an incredible honour to be awarded an OBE.

“This reinforces the work of Roundabout which is a great organisation and a very simple idea.”