Parish councillor Lorna Berrett has been crowned 'Councillor of the Year' at an event at the House of Lords.

The ceremonial recognition was part of the 'Star Council' awards orchestrated by the National Association of Local Councillors (NALC).

They applaud the fortitude of local councils and individual councillors, commending their positive impact on their respective communities.

Cllr Berrett has spent eight years serving as a parish councillor for Botley and North Hinksey.

Prior to that, she led a campaign which stopped plans to tear down Botley's Elms Parade shops and local housing, and helped to set up the community's debut website.

In her role as chair of the parish council, her projects include erecting new bus shelters, equipping playgrounds with new equipment, and setting up public art installations in the West Way centre.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she initiated the 'Botley Responders', a volunteer network that provided support to vulnerable residents during lockdown.

She encouraged residents to become councillors in the recent election, resulting in a record 26 candidates for the 14 parish council seats, with Cllr Berrett garnering the largest vote count.

She said: "I really enjoy being a Councillor and I try to build on all the amazing work by volunteers and workers across our community.

"As the first level of government Parish Councils may be small but by working together with the community, by focusing on local facilities and ensuring that whatever funds are available are used for initiatives that matter to people on the ground, they can make a bigger impact than many expect."