A special award has been made to Doreen Moule for her outstanding leadership of Rushen Heritage Trust’s team looking at Women’s internment in Rushen during the Second World War.

Doreen has been chairman of the team since the trust was established four years ago.

During that time, the team has organised two successful exhibitions in Port Erin which attracted more than 6,000 visitors, and recently published ’Friend or Foe?’, which tells the fascinating story of women’s internment in Port Erin and Port St Mary.

Doreen, with trust colleague Ali Graham, also started up an interactive half day ’women’s internment experience’ for local schools.

Hugh Davidson, trust director and a member of Doreen’s Heritage Action Team said: ’Doreen’s style of quiet and skilful leadership has enabled a team with a diverse range of talents to work closely together and become friends. Individual members have strong opinions and there have been turbulent discussions at times, but Doreen has managed to steer the ship into calmer waters.

’She has also made a massive personal contribution to the many tasks, and her commitment to high quality, her creativity, organisation skills, resilience and attention to detail, especially working with the editor and designer of the book, have set a fine example.

’She is greatly respected by the six other team members.’

Doreen said she volunteered for the internment team because ’I didn’t know much about it.’

The seven members of the team all focused on different areas.

’We got interested in slightly different aspects ... it just snowballed, Doreen explained.

’We have gone off on different tangents. We had a meeting once a month. I try to listen, if you don’t, they think you’re not interested.’

The book reflects these divegent interests and is a very thorough investigation.

’We are all thrilled with it,’ she said.

’We are still working on it.’

The trust is working to compile a database of internees that people can access.

’It will also be kept at the museum. It will keep me going forever.’

There are also projects involving schools.

The former primary school teacher said: ’I wonder how I had time to go to school.’