Read My Lips

Mrs Ireson, of Brighton Road, was awarded the MBE for her work teaching lip-reading to classes throughout Sussex and her involvement with the Association of Teachers for Lip-Reading to Adults.

She said: "I got a letter from the Prime Minister s office and that was in the middle of November, and that was to say that the Prime Minister was putting my name forward to the Queen.

"But I did not know that I got the award until the New Year s honours list was published. My initial reaction was they were doing a survey on the euro because it had the Prime Minister s office on the envelope. But when I read it I was just overwhelmed."

Mrs Ireson has been teaching lip-reading for more than 20 years, and takes classes in Lancing and Southwick for the Adur Learning Exchange, as well as other classes at Northbrook College and in Crowborough.

She is also involved with Hearing Concern and the Association for Teachers of Lip-Reading to Adults.