A FORMER nurse from Halesworth is getting ready for her brush with royalty next month when the Queen visits the region as part of the country's Easter celebrations.

A FORMER nurse from Halesworth and a retired Bungay ambulance paramedic were among those due to meet the Queen at Bury St Edmunds yesterday< during the annual distribution of Maundy Money.

Sue Warry will receive Maundy money from the Queen at St Edmundsbury Cathedral, and Arthur Fisher, who is also chairman of the deanery Synod, were among those there

Miss Warry is a Eucharistic minister, taking holy communion to people unable to get to church.

The 85-year-old said: “It is rather exciting. I knew about it before Christmas but I had to keep quiet until it was official.”

Mr Fisher is a sidesman at Holy Trinity Church and a member of the parochial church council.

The Maundy tradition, which dates back to the 13th century, used to see ceremonial silver coins given to deserving poor people by the British monarch, on Maundy Thursday. Even today each recipient is given coins totalling the monarch's age.

This year, to mark the Queen's 83rd birthday on april 21, 83 male and 83 female pensioners will receive 83p at the Maundy service.