Queen's Birthday Honours in region

LORNA MARSH

Scores of recipients from Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire have received a blue-blooded thank-you for their achievements and commitment over the years.

Norfolk Constabulary Chief Inspector Richard Curtis who, in his role within the Royal and VIP Protection Department based at Dersingham, oversees the royal visits to Sandringham and across the county, was made a Member of the Victorian Order (MVO) for services to royal protection.

The 56-year-old, who has served the force for 37 years, said: “It's a great honour and I'm extremely pleased to receive the award.”

And former Norfolk chief constable Andy Hayman, now Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner, praised for his response to the July 7 terror attacks, gets a CBE. Mr Hayman, head of Scotland Yard's anti-terror operations, is currently embroiled in controversy surrounding a raid on a house in east London in which a man was shot and injured, but later released without charge.

Also made an MVO is Andrew Holt, a building surveyor for the Sandringham Estate. And given Royal Victorian Medals, a personal award for services to the Sovereign, are fellow estate workers, Stephen Cuthbert, gamekeeper, Karl Dennis. forestry worker and John Reed, stud hand.

The Chief Constable of Cambridgeshire Constabulary, Julie Spence, is made an OBE.

Mrs Spence, 50, became Acting Chief Constable of Cambridgeshire in June 2005, and was appointed Chief Constable in December last year.

Her professional career includes working with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) terrorism and allied matters committee on royalty and VIP protection and CBRN counter terrorism tactics.

Mrs Spence said: “I am particularly pleased that the work I and others have done to advance British policing and the role of women in policing has been recognised in this way. And my achievements have only been possible thanks to the co-operation, professionalism and support of many colleagues and friends.”

Another member of police staff at Cambridgeshire Constabulary is recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours. Graham Broom, 52, head of IS/IT, is made an MBE marking his services to policing.

Mr Broom, a member of the force's executive board, oversees the Constabulary's information management strategy and is an adviser to the ACPO terrorism committee.

Deborah Cadman, the chief executive of St Edmundsbury Borough Council, is made an OBE for services to local government in Suffolk.

The 43-year-old mother of two joined the council in December 2001 having previously worked for the Department for the Environment, Transport and Regions.

Ms Cadman has been involved in local government for more than 20 years and lives in Diss.

Former nurse Sylvia Pomeroy said she was “overwhelmed” at being made an OBE for her services to the community in King's Lynn.

Mrs Pomeroy, 66, has been involved in a number of community groups in West Norfolk including chairwoman of the Tenants of West Norfolk, a co-ordinator at Phobbies, a day centre for people with physical disabilities, and chairwoman of the residents association at Terrington St Clements as well as taking a role on an advisory committee for disability at West Norfolk Council.

She has also worked overseas, helping children in Romania, Russia and Somalia.

Mrs Pomeroy, a grandmother who lives in Terrington St Clements, said: “ You do not do these things for the awards, I like to stay out of the lime-light. It is certainly a great honour.”

Professor Alison Smith from the John Innes Centre was made an OBE for her services to plant biochemistry.

She has worked for the last 20 years at JIC studying how plants make and use starch, and has made major advances in understanding this important carbohydrate.

She said: “This award is recognition of the huge amount of hard work from my team at JIC, and of the support of my colleagues and collaborators. I feel privileged to be able to work in such a stimulating environment.”

A man who is normally behind the scenes was in the limelight after being made an MBE for his services to the theatre. Michael Barnett, of Abbeygate, in Thetford, has been a freelance stage engineer and designer for countless West End and opera shows over the last 30 years.

Geraldine Debenham, the hospital voluntary services manager at West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust, has been made an MBE for services to the NHS. Mrs Debenham, 59, has been organising a team of volunteers and helping to reduce waiting lists at the Bury St Edmunds hospital for the last 16 years.

David Down was made an MBE for his work with the Yarmouth branch of the Sea Training Corps. As commanding officer, he founded the branch in 1994. Each year since then about 75 youngsters aged seven to 18 have learnt nautical skills from Mr Down aboard the Training Ship Warrior and the corps' base in Steam Mill Lane, Cobholm.

The energetic and enthusiastic Richard Draper, founder and director of the Benjamin Foundation, has been made an MBE for services to young people in north Norfolk. The tragic death of his 17 year-old son Benjamin in August 1992 led him to found the organisation and he said he was “absolutely thrilled and humbled” at the honour.

The foundation champions young people and offers them advice, information and support services. It runs two hostels for the homeless, a resettlement scheme and after-school and holiday clubs. Hundreds of youngsters have benefited from the foundation's work - and it is hoping to become county-wide across Norfolk.

A litany of achievements in the world of music has earned an MBE for the Rev Angela Dugdale.

For more than half a century Mrs Dugdale has taught and conducted music in Norfolk, as well as taking her talents to concerts around the world. Highlights of her career have been 30 years at the helm of the Broadland Singers from 1958 to 1989, which included winning the BBC's Let the People Sing competition; working as director of music at Gresham's School in Holt and conducting the Kelling Singers.

“I am delighted by sound, but more to the point I have wanted to help other people be delighted by sound,” said Mrs Dugdale.

“I have been so fortunate, other people have made all of these things possible for me.”

Martin Wake is made an MBE for services to healthcare and the community in Suffolk. Mr Wake has been heavily involved in a series of community projects in north Suffolk for many years, including the Good Neighbour initiative in the village of Stradbroke, near Eye, the first in the county.

Long-standing Fenland District councillor Mac Cotterell is made an MBE for his services to the community of Wisbech.

Mr Cotterell is a former journalist and lives in Elm. He has run his photographic business, Nene Studios, from his home for many years.

He was on Wisbech Rural District Council before local government reorganisation in 1974 when he became a member of Fenland Council, becoming at one-time leader, and is currently portfolio holder for special projects, which includes the port and old people.

Mr Cotterell is a former chairman of Elm Parish Council and a former chairman of the governors of the Queen's School at Wisbech.

CBE FOR COUNCIL CHIEF EXECUTIVE

The chief executive of Norfolk County Council has been made a CBE for services to local government.

Tim Byles, 47, who is married to Shirley and has three sons, has been chief executive of the council for 10 years as well as playing an active role in various local and national projects.

Mr Byles, who lives in Cringleford, near Norwich, said: “I feel very proud to receive this honour.

“Working in public service has always been much more to me than just a job. It has been my passion and my privilege, so to be rewarded in this way makes it feel very special.

“In many ways I see this honour as one that I receive on behalf of my colleagues in local government, who are equally committed about public service and driven by a desire to make a positive difference for people.”

At a national level, he chairs the Chief Executive's Taskforce on the Efficiency Review and is National Procurement Champion for the Department for Communities and Local Government.

He is chairman of the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) and a director of SOLACE Enterprises Ltd.

He is also an adviser to the Local Government Association's Economic Regeneration Executive. He is a member of DEFRA's sustainable procurement taskforce.

Locally, he is a trustee of the Partners Against Crime Taskforce (PACT) and the Norfolk Community Foundation.

He is chairman of the Youth Justice Board for Norfolk; a director of East Port Great Yarmouth; a board member of the Norwich Research Partnership; and chairman of Norfolk County Council Services and Norfolk Property Services.

He is also chairman of the Norfolk Drug Action Team.

FORMER ANGLIA MD GETS OBE

The former managing director of Anglia Television has been made an OBE for services to broadcasting just two months after leaving the position to go it alone.

Graham Creelman is now kept busy as a freelance consultant for the creative and media industries along with his roles as chairman of the regional Cultural Consortium, vice chairman of the governors of Norwich School of Art and Design and chairman of the regional steering group of the East of England Development Agency (EEDA).

Mr Creelman, who is married to Margot and lives in Norwich, said the honour came as a “total surprise” but one that made the memories of his days at Anglia even more rosy. “It is not just getting such recognition that is nice it is the way it is done and the fact that people would have bothered to write recommending me, which is incredibly touching and really rather humbling.

“I would like to think that it was not just given for my services to broadcasting and my position as managing director but also for integrating Anglia into the community.

“It was completely unexpected, a total surprise.”

Mr Creelman was managing director of Anglia Television for 10 years before leaving in April.

HONOUR FOR MAN WHO HELPED RESCUE CHURCH

A man who has devoted the last 14 years to the renovation of an isolated Norfolk church has been made an MBE.

The church of St Mary the Virgin at Houghton-on-the-Hill, near Swaffham, has undergone a remarkable transformation since Bob Davey's late wife, Gloria, came across an ivy-shrouded ruin during a Women's Institute ramble in 1992.

Mr Davey, a local churchwarden, was horrified that the church was used by devil-worshippers and embarked on a campaign to restore the remote hilltop building to structural and spiritual health.

Since then an extensive programme of repairs has been carried out and St Mary's now holds regular services as a chapel of ease, as well as attracting visitors from around the world.

Last month a funding bid to preserve priceless wall paintings found during the renovation and further improvements received a £191,500 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Mr Davey, 77, who lives at nearby North Pickenham, met the Queen in 1999 when the church and Windsor Castle were joint recipients of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors' annual conservation award.

He said he was “on top of the world” to be made an MBE.

“I'm absolutely delighted - it was right out of the blue,” he said. “I am very pleased indeed to get it and I'm looking forward to going up to the palace and collecting it.”

VOLUNTEER 'THRILLED' ABOUT MBE

Anne Cowan said she was “thrilled to bits” to be made MBE for services to the community of Yarmouth.

The octogenarian has served with the Gorleston Ladies' Lifeboat Guild since 1969, first as secretary, then as chairman for 13 years and now as president.

Each year the guild raises £30,000-£40,000 for the upkeep of the Gorleston RNLI lifeboat station which relies on volunteer donations. Mrs Cowan, of Victoria Road, Gorleston, also ran the Yarmouth Meals on Wheels team for many years and was involved in the Yarmouth and Lowestoft community health council and the WRVS.

“I've been involved in many areas of the voluntary sector in the area,” she said.

“They told me this honour is for services to the community of Yarmouth but I have no idea who nominated me.

“I've been volunteering for a very long time but I wouldn't do it if I didn't enjoy it. I'm absolutely thrilled to bits with this, it's come completely out of the blue but I'm very pleased.”

Mrs Cowan said it was unlikely she would be able to make it to Buckingham Palace but was looking forward to receiving the honour at a local ceremony at a later date.

ALSO HONOURED IN OUR REGION...

OBEs

t James Christopher Barclay, of Woodbridge, Suffolk. Formerly non-executive director, United Kingdom Debt Management Office. For services to the finance industry

t Countess Caroline Cranbrook, of Saxmundham in Suffolk. For services to the red meat industry in the East of England.

t Michael Crawshaw, headteacher, Debenham Church of England Voluntary Controlled High School, Debenham, Suffolk. For services to education.

t Professor Andrew Fabian. Head of the X-ray Astronomy Group, Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge. For services to science.

t Jafar Mirza, chair of governors, Cambridge Regional College. For services to further education.

t Dr Ann Prentice, director of the Human Nutrition Research Unit, Medical Research Council in Cambridge. For services to nutrition.

t Dr David Spiegelhalter, research statistician, Medical Research Council in Cambridge. For services to medical research.

t Frances Sword, head of Education, Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. For services to museums.

MBEs

t Peter Dawson, head of year, Copleston High School, Ipswich, Suffolk. For services to education.

t Raymond Dyer, director of Suffolk Young People's Theatre. For services to drama.

t David Groom, Highways maintenance engineer, Cambridgeshire County Council. For services to local government.

t Simon Paterson Horsburgh, higher investigation officer, HM Revenue and Customs in Felixstowe.

t Madeline Johnson, teacher, Castle Hill Infant School, Ipswich, Suffolk. For services to education.

tRubina-Ishrat Hussain, JP, for services to the community in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.

t Acting Major Mark Knight, Cambridgeshire Army Cadet Force.

t Clements Harry Tompsett, chairman of the British Carrot Growers' Association. For services to agriculture and the comm-unity in Cambridgeshire.

t Angela Turner, for services to the welfare of prisoners in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.