A YEADON woman who was awarded an MBE for her charitable work during the First World War will be the focus of an exhibition next weekend.

Martha Chippendale was presented with the honour in 1918 by King George V "for her pioneering work in hostels and clubs for service men and women throughout the country".

That work, with the Salvation Army, consisted principally in her caring for injured servicemen in the east end of London.

Her solid silver medal will be on display at Yeadon Town Hall on Saturday, September 13, as part of Aireborough Historical Society's First World War exhibition.

The 10am to 4pm event, part of the national Heritage Open Days programme, will also feature hundreds of photographs and artefacts from the society's collection and is free.

Martha Chippendale had joined the Yeadon branch of the Salvation Army at the age of 16, leaving her weaving job at Murgatroyd's Moorfield Mill.

She decided to devote her life to the cause after her father died and moved to London to train as an officer, going on to become a brigadier.

Martha returned to Yeadon for a holiday in 1926 and died suddenly, aged 59. For her funeral her hometown expressed the high esteem in which she was held by closing all the mills for the day.