EVERY mother knows there is nothing like having young children for drawing you into commitments and community activities.

And Sue Carter, of Bark Hill, Bewdley, knows this more than most. Since her daughter, Charlotte, was born nine years ago she has become well known as a community leader.

Sue was always a soft touch whenever help was needed because she likes to feel she has something to contribute and because of her obvious boundless energy.

It was also to do with coming from a large old Bewdley family of five children which had a tradition of being involved in town activities.

The family donated a new shield and medals to Bewdley Carnival this year to encourage youth groups to set up showpiece stalls in memory of their mother, Nellie, who was a great carnival supporter in the 1970s.

Sue this year took the title field marshall as chief organiser of field events. It means a lot of paper work and phone calls but has resulted this year in major sponsorship successes with local firms such as Brintons and Morton Fisher.

But it was when Charlotte started school at Far Forest four years ago that Sue became swept off her feet by commitments.

She became involved in the PTA and as chairman and school governor perpetually involved in fund-raising. Her links with the school led to a lasting involvement on the Far Forest parochial church council. She enjoyed Sunday School teaching so when the PCC wanted to run a similar after school class on a weekday she was the obvious candidate.

''Everyone made me feel so at home in the church, I just became more and more involved,'' she said.

Charlotte was also the reason for Sue's position as leader of the Bewdley Rainbow group. Her daughter is now too old for the group but Sue is still joint leader because she loves children of that age.

The needs of children are also paramount in her latest ''involvement'' as press officer for the newly formed specialist bereavement charity, Bramble's Trust.

The founders rang Sue to ask her about the chance of a stall at the carnival and she asked all about it. ''Because of my mother's death I thought I had something to offer. There was no help for me through the grief as I brought up teenage brothers and sisters.

"I was also devastated by the loss of my grandmother when I was aged 10 and my god-daughter was killed at the age of 16. When I heard of Bramble's Trust, I just wanted to be part of it," she said.