BECCLES woman Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin is considered one of the most distinguished female achievers of all time.And now in the year she would have celebrated her 100th birthday she is the only woman to be included on a block of stamps to commemorate famous scientists who were all fellows of the Royal Society.

BECCLES woman Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin is considered one of the most distinguished female achievers of all time.

And now in the year she would have celebrated her 100th birthday she is the only woman to be included on a block of stamps to commemorate famous scientists who were all fellows of the Royal Society.

This year the society is marking its 350th anniversary and former Bungay man John Harris is organising a first day cover, with only 50 copies available, each numbered.

Dorothy, who lived in Geldeston, was educated at Sir John Leman High School and the cover bears the school badge and details.

It will also include a printed inlay card featuring details of her life and scientific achievements with dates, involvement in Beccles, and the school photograph and facsimile autograph she signed for Mr Harris when he met her at a students' reunion in April 1987.

Dorothy won worldwide recognition for her work on the structure of penicillin and insulin.

In 1964 she took the Nobel Prize for chemistry and in 1965 she won the Order of Merit and Freedom of Beccles.

In 1996 she was included on a separate range of stamps that celebrated a list of 10 gifted women, featuring Margaret Thatcher and Emmeline Pankhurst.

A celebration event of Dorothy Hodgkins life is set to be held in Beccles in May to celebrate the centenary of her birth.

The cover price is �2.50 and will be supplied in an envelope, which should arrive by post during the first week of March.

It is released on Thursday, and orders, including a cheque made out to Sir John Leman High School, should be sent to the headteacher, marked DCH Cover, with full name and address.