At the British Horse Society Annual General Meeting on 22 Jun 99 Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, President of the Society, presented the Society's Awards of Merit. Marlene Curtis of Castle Point, Essex was one of the recipients. The Society is indebted to hundreds of volunteers who give unstintingly of their time, energy and expertise to furthering the care of horses in the areas of welfare, training, education, safety, and access and rights of way. The Award of Merit is given for outstanding services to the British Horse Society.

Marlene Curtis has been a valued member of the British Horse Society Essex County Committee for over twenty years, attending all meetings with a positive and optimistic attitude that is passed on to everyone she meets. As Access and Bridleways Officer, she has tirelessly travelled miles over the county, gathering vital evidence on use of bridleways and doing extensive research into public records, which has taken hours, frequently days, and sometimes even weeks of her time and effort. Both horse and rider have benefited from her enormous determination and selfless dedication, with her tasks always being achieved in a manner that gives great credit to the BHS.