Known here for her humanitarian work, Mrs Church has received the award from the Diplomatic Society of the Knights of St Gabriel.

Based in Washington, this is a fellowship of diplomats, international civil servants and other international relations professionals that has a humanitarian slant.

It has members from 30 countries and works to improve the lives of poverty-stricken people in the United States and in member countries of the society.

Mrs Church was made one of its dames last month after a request by members of the society won unanimous support from its supreme council.

To become a member of the society, one has to give distinguished service to the diplomatic and consular profession, and Mrs Church says she is pleased to have won recognition for this in Washington.

For the moment she is a second degree Dame Officer of the Diplomatic Society of the Knights of St Gabriel, because she is its newest member.

“Within a few years I’m confident I will move up the ranks of the society,” she said.

As has been the case in the past, Mrs Church is using the time during her current visit to Seychelles to help the community. She has been working with staff at the Foyer de Nazareth orphanage to erect a perimeter wall, so as to prevent further incidents of trouble such as the place has had recently.

She also noted that talks are under way for a local student to go for medical emergency training in the United States soon.