A distinguished charity founder has received fresh recognition for her pioneering work in the field of child bereavement.

Jenni Thomas, from Marlow, was presented with the Paul Harris Fellowship award on Tuesday by High Wycombe Rotary Club.

The Fellowship, named in honour of Paul Harris who founded the Rotary movement, is for an outstanding contribution to the community.

Jenni told the Bucks Free Press: "I am deeply honoured to be awarded with the Paul Harris award. Everything I have learned has come from listening to parents and children.

"It is only by responding to them and their needs that people like me can begin to support them."

Jenni, who has lived and worked in Buckinghamshire most of her life, found her vocation working as nurse in the Special Care Baby Unit at High Wycombe Hospital in the 1970's.

She saw at first hand how parents of a child who has died struggle to come to terms with their grief.

Convinced that the NHS could and should support them, Jenni used her professional experience to devise practical support for such parents and for children who suffer the loss of a parent or sibling.

In the 1980's she trained as a counsellor and provided bereavement support to families through the NHS and developed training programmes for doctors, nurses and other professionals.

The philosophy and principles of her groundbreaking work are now employed throughout the NHS and in 1994 led to her founding the Child Bereavement Charity - now known as Child Bereavement UK.

Princess Diana attended the launch of the charity and Prince William is a patron.

The charity was started in a bedroom in her former family home in Little Chalfont , moved to Marlow as it grew and now has a substantial headquarters in Saunderton.

Jenni has written books and made films about child bereavement, lectured throughout the world and in 2004 went to Singapore to support families and professionals affected by the Boxing Day tsunami.

In 2000 Jenni received the inaugural Nye Bevan NHS Award, in 2002 she was awarded the OBE and in 2008 received an Honorary Doctorate from Bucks University.

She now works for two local children's charities, the Angus Lawson Memorial Trust and Rosie's Rainbow Fund.