Jo Weir, a trustee and director at Jubilee Hall Trust, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen's New Year's Honours list.

Watercolourist Jo, who has lived in Covent Garden for nearly 30 years, is also the long-serving chair of the Covent Garden Community Association.

Ms Weir, who will go to Buckingham Palace to receive her accolade, said she hoped it would "help put Covent Garden on the map".

She added: "I am flattered and amazed, and I am very embarrassed because it is something that can only come about by joint work and operations by everybody else in the community."

Ms Weir said that, despite Covent Garden's central location, the area could be overlooked as it fell between two boroughs - Westminster and Camden.

Known for her deep involvement in the area, which she describes as "like a village", she organises an annual Christmas carol service, is a former vice-chair of the Soho Society and chairs Westminster's Police Consultative Committee.