Community stalwart and pub landlady Pauline Town was officially presented with her MBE this week.

The ceremony was held at the most fitting location for Pauline - the Town House in Ashton - named in her honour and a special centre for the homeless for whom she has done so much.

Pauline was named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours last summer with recipients given the opportunity to accept their honours at the next available event at Buckingham Palace or closer to home.

Although honoured to receive the award personally, Pauline has always said she accepted it only on behalf of everyone who is part of an incredible network of partners and volunteers who work with her.

“It is for the whole community and for everyone and I share it with all the volunteers and the group ‘We Shall Overcome’,” she said.  

Pauline has certainly gone above and beyond in her quest to help the homeless across Tameside.

As a Landlady of 30 years at the Station Pub, she transformed it into a hub for her ‘We Shall Overcome’ organisation, which is pro-community and anti-austerity. From her pub she distributes food, furniture and clothing to those who need it most.

Over the years of helping the most vulnerable, she has campaigned tirelessly to raise money by organising benefit gigs and fundraising events.

She also supports those who have suffered abuse in relationships, by working with other Tameside institutions such as Greystones, Tameside Council and the emergency out of hours team.

For services to Homeless People in Tameside, she was been selected to receive the MBE, with the honour being presented at the special ceremony at the Town House on Monday evening.

The Town House homeless shelter was officially opened in 2020 after Pauline in recognition of her ‘tireless’ to support for rough sleepers in Tameside. It was set up in a former St Ann’s Primary School building in Ashton and is designed to provide ‘wrap around care’ to homeless and vulnerable people.

Almost 40 people attended the ceremony on Monday to see Pauline presented with the MBE by Vice Lord Lieutenant Sharman Birtles.

Also present were volunteers, support workers and members of the council team all enjoying a meal together at the Town House.

Pauline’s work however has never stopped and in the countdown to Easter she launched an Easter Egg campaign, primarily to deliver free chocolate eggs to children most in need.

However the success of the appeal grew to such an extent, more than 3,250 eggs have been donated, meaning they can be distributed far and wide to all age ranges among the most deserving in the borough.

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