A woman with MS who sources, buys and wraps presents for the elderly and homeless, has been rewarded for her generosity.

Caroline Tillbrook, 48, who lives in the Cell Barnes area of St Albans, has received May’s Maltings Community Heroes Award for her efforts.

Caroline spent last Christmas filling shoe boxes with essentials to give to the homeless and she now ensures that those who receive Meals on Wheels in St Albans get a present on their birthday.

She also gives out presents to the elderly who attend the lunch club at the Jubilee Centre in St Albans.

Caroline, who has Multiple Sclerosis, has three children who help her buy the presents. She said: “They absolutely love it; since February I’ve been going to the pound shops and wrapping presents like soap and socks.

“Every month I go to the Jubilee Centre with their presents and the Meals on Wheels boys deliver them for me when there is a birthday.”

She spends about £30 each month on small gifts and regularly holds collections to donate items such as blankets, coats and clothes to the homeless and Emmaus – a homelessness charity.

Caroline said: “It doesn’t cost that much to make someone happy and when I do make someone happy then that makes me happy.”

“I once gave a lady a box filled with deodorants and other stuff and she cried because there was lip balm in it.

“It didn’t cost that much but they can’t afford it.”

The Maltings has been running the community awards scheme in conjunctions with the Herts Advertiser and each month the winner is presented with a cheque.