Brenda Copsey from Bury St Edmunds has been awarded an Imperial Service Medal for her longstanding work as an officer of the court. She was a court clerk in Bury. Left to right: Sue Hughes, West Suffolk Bench chair, Judge Goodin, Mrs Copsey and Alison Phillips, court admin officer.

A RETIRED court clerk from west Suffolk has described her Imperial Service Medal award as a “complete surprise.”

An award ceremony was held at Bury St Edmunds Magistrates’ Court for Brenda Copsey, 70, who retired in November last year having served more than 54 years within the courts service.

Mrs Copsey, a grandmother of three who lives in Bury, began her court work in 1957 as a part-time clerk, working as a full-time clerk for Bury and Mildenhall from 1964.

Judge David Goodin said she had had a “magnificent career” that was “quite astonishing.”

“Brenda, I’m sure, would want to say she had never have won this well-deserved honour without the help and support of the many, many people with whom she worked over the years and of course to her family. The truth is, actually, she jolly well would’ve done.”

Mrs Copsey said: “I have always enjoyed my working career and it’s an honour to have this ceremony. I was caught completely be surprise.”

She was pleased to think that the work she had carried out over the years had been appreciated.

She added: “I have met lots and lots of lovely work colleagues and I keep in touch with a lot of them.”

The Imperial Service Order was introduced in 1902 by Edward VII for eligible civil servants throughout the British Empire for long and meritorious service. A nomination for the medal is only considered for those with at least 25 years unblemished service to the Crown.