Special award for Jacqui

General Sir Mike Jackson presenting the Montgomery Bowl to Stanbridge fundraiser Jacqui Sage-Passant

A mother-of-two from Stanbridge is only the second person to be awarded The Montgomery Bowl in recognition of her sterling efforts for ABF The Soldiers' Charity.

It was presented to Bedfordshire fundraiser Jacqui Sage-Passant, 48, of Tilsworth Road by charity president General Sir Mike Jackson.

She recalls: “He was utterly charming and was particularly impressed by the immense support shown in Bedfordshire, considering we’re a county with no garrison town.”

Jacqui – a former runner-up in both Pride of Bedfordshire and Pride of Britain awards – is keen to emphasise she’s just the front person: “Behind me are a lot of people who are very charity-minded. I couldn’t do it without a great amount of help from friends and volunteers.”

She started fundraising in earnest after a horrific bike accident and explains: “After two spine operations I decided I preferred my charity work to being a PA and put my organisational skills into becoming more involved.”

She chose ABF The Soldiers’ Charity because of its ethos – they will never turn a soldier away, wherever he or she has fought.

She’s currently organising its fourth annual Cycle Ride which starts and finishes at the Five Bells pub in Stanbridge on September 4 and which attracts more than 500 riders of all ages and abilities.

“The public is so supportive of the charity and that’s what inspires me to keep going,” she says.

> Register at www.soldierscharityride.co.uk