A Stormont security guard has said she was bowled over to be honoured for doing the job she loves.
Elizabeth Hamilton has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).
However, she admitted when she first got the letter informing her of the honour, she feared it was a scam.
“It was unexpected, so I phoned and they said no and congratulated me… the lady said someone obviously thinks a lot of you,” she told the Press Association.
“It’s such an honour, I’m the first in my whole family, and my uncle was a war hero in the Second World War at Dunkirk, and fought in Japan too, and was taken prisoner and tortured. My family won’t believe it.”
Ms Hamilton has been working for the Northern Ireland Civil Service for 27 years, and as a security guard at Stormont Castle, the historic home of the Northern Ireland Executive, for 24 years.
Prior to that, she worked as a civilian searcher on the ring of steel in Belfast city centre at the height of the Troubles.
She said she loves seeing all the different people who come to the home of the Northern Ireland Executive, from world leaders visiting First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, to curious tourists.
“Some people get lost when they come into Stormont, they’re going to meetings and they get lost, they come up to me and I say, ‘calm down, go down to the next one, right and up to reception’,” she said.
“Then you have people who want to come in to have a look at the castle but they can’t because it’s out of bounds for the public, but you don’t say to them to clear off, but suggest they go up to Parliament Buildings for a cup of tea or a meal.
“People come from all over the world. They say, ‘what beautiful surroundings’, which it is.”
Ms Hamilton’s security career stretches back to the ring of steel around Belfast city centre during the Troubles.
The extensive cordon of barricades, gates and checkpoints was in place from the 1970s to the 1990s, in a bid to stop car bombs which had devastated the city centre in the early 1970s.
Her experience as one of about 300 civilian searchers working alongside police and Army included tragedy as well as enjoyment working with members of the public.
Her fellow searcher, Norma Spence, 25, was shot dead by the Provisional IRA as they targeted Trooper James Nowasad, 21, on March 3 1978 at a cordon on Donegall Street close to St Anne’s Cathedral.
She was just 25 herself when she started the job in 1975.
“Heard a lot of bombs going off, but it’s only when you get home all of that sinks in, at the time you just have to do your job,” she said.
“But I loved the job, I met a lot of lovely people.
“Some were terrified of someone with a uniform on, but I brought a big thing of sweets – if you treat people nice, they treat you nice back. That’s what I think.”
