It’ll be a bittersweet moment for Sophia Crawshaw when she returns to Buckingham Palace to collect her British Empire Medal.

Sophia founded One Good Turn, a charity which provided poverty relief and captured the public’s imagination.

And while the charity officially closes in February due to funding difficulties, the New Year Honour for Sophia will be the charity’s glorious swan song.

Sophie, 45, from Marsh, said: “It is bittersweet because One Good Turn had to close – but I’m focusing on what we achieved.”

The charity began as a ‘swap shop’ on Facebook between friends.

But it snowballed attracting 60 volunteers and 500 people a month to its coffee mornings in Huddersfield, Dewsbury and Halifax.

Sophia Crawshaw

As well as providing essentials for people in crisis the charity provided practical advice and companionship for isolated folks.

In its five years, the charity helped more than 1,200 families fleeing domestic violence and those recovering from alcohol and drug addictions.

It also allowed people to furnish their new accommodation without resorting to pay day loans or loan sharks.

Last year the charity won a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service so this summer will see Sophia’s second visit to the palace.

Sophia said: “I never expected to start a charity so I never expected to get an award.

“I was standing when I opened the letter and I had to sit down.”

The mum-of-two added: “I feel a bit strange. I feel a bit of a fraud because I’ve just done what I’ve always done.

“Obviously it was really nice to be nominated and it’ll be something to tell the grandchildren.”

Sophia hopes to take her mother Violet Lomax to the palace as she loves the Queen.

But Sophia said she’d prefer to be in a working men’s club.

She said: “I’m not the kind of person for pomp and ceremony. It’s all a bit pretentious to me.

“Last time I went it was very formal but it was lovely to see the grounds.

“I’m not going to turn it down as my mum is a real royalist.”

And some of Sophia’s good work will continue in a scheme she’s running with Uniform Exchange, which provides free second-hand school uniforms for struggling parents.

Sophia is running the Bee Kind scheme which aims to put a workbook on British values in Kirklees schools.

She said: “It’s about morals and being a good person.

“I’m hoping to get it into every school in Kirklees and I’m hoping to get local businesses to sponsor each school.”

Businesses can sponsor the scheme by emailing: sophia.crawshaw@onegoodturncharity.org.uk.