A PINVIN woman was invested as a member of the Order of St John at a special ceremony in the historic Grand Priory Church, Clerkenwell, London.

Retired teacher Stella Elliott, of Upton Snodsbury Road, a volunteer for St John Ambulance for 22 years, was admitted as officer and presented with the insignia by the prior of the Order of St John, Lord Slynn of Hadley.

Mrs Elliott and her husband Richard joined the Pershore Division of St John Ambulance after taking a first aid course. Together they set up and ran the cadet section in Pershore in 1983. Mrs Elliott helped with the launch of the Badgers in 1986 and the following year was appointed county Badger leader. She was appointed area commissioner for Herefordshire and Worcestershire in 1990.

In 1992 she was invested as a member of the Order of St John as a serving sister in 1992 and following the separation of Hereford and Worcester back into two counties in 1997, she was appointed deputy county commissioner for Worcestershire.

"I still enjoy going on duty, assisting in the role of first aider," Mrs Elliott said.

Particularly interested in the history of St John, Mrs Elliott, accompanied by her husband, a serving brother in the order, gives talks on the order from the time of Crusades in Jerusalem, in Rhodes and Malta and the work of St John Ambulance today.

Mr and Mrs Elliott visited Malta to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary, staying in Valetta which was built by the order in the 16th century.