A centre's award to recognise its scientific and environmental work in the community has finally been picked up – a year-and-a-half after the news of the accolade was first announced.

Delays blamed on the pandemic prevented the Royal Geographical Society presenting the award to representatives from the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre (CHCC).

A small group of trustees, patrons and Friends of CHCC were finally given the green light to attend a ceremony this month at the society's HQ in Kensington, London where Princess Anne presented the award for facilitating fieldwork and encouraging scientific engagement within the community to centre manager Alison Ferris.

The award, announced in May 2020, acknowledges the achievement in fulfilling the objectives of the centre - to 'advance the education of the public in the geology, palaeontology, geomorphology and natural history of the coast and adjacent areas at Charmouth and to maintain the centre for education and information to encourage management of the coast and adjacent area'.

The award take its place alongside the RH Worth Award from the Geological Society received in 2019 and the Queen's Golden Jubilee Award for voluntary service by groups in the community presented in 2016.

A spokesman for the centre said: "Manager Ali realised what a great honour and achievement it had been for CHCC to receive the award when she learned that a fellow awardee was Michael Jones who received the Patron's Award for work he had done developing Google Earth and Google Maps.

"Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre also celebrated the dedication and hard work of recently retired trustees, John Berridge and Bill Burn. Ros Cole, recently retired chairman of the Friends of CHCC, was also thanked for her contribution towards the work of the charity."

The centre will be closed from December 21-26. It will reopen between 11am-2pm from December 27-31, and then be closed until reopening again on January 7. Normal winter opening hours are Friday to Monday 10.30am-4.30pm.