Queen’s Birthday Hours MBE and British Empire Medal recipients were presented with their honours by Cornwall’s Lord Lieutenant Colonel Edward Bolitho OBE at special ceremony at New County Hall in Truro this week.

The Order of the British Empire recognises distinguished service to the arts and sciences, public services outside the Civil Service and work with charitable and welfare organisations.

Mrs Margaret Byrne, from Paul, was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to education and the community in Mousehole and Paul.

The MBE is awarded for a significant achievement or outstanding service to the community and the citation notes Margaret’s long and distinguished career in education and her energy, professionalism, determination and enthusiasm which have been of huge benefit to her local area.

The three people receiving the British Empire Medals were

Raymond Blaker, from Penzance, for services to charity and the community in Penzance.  Raymond has been involved in the community and with local charities for more than 28 years.  After spending 25 years working as a traffic regulator at the bus terminal in St Ives, he retired in 2011 only to return to work six weeks later for two days a week due to popular demand. His charity work began with his local chapel in 1990 when he started fundraising to build a hospital and a school in Gambia.  He then began building and refurbishing dolls houses and chess sets to raise money.  Since then he has auctioned his dolls houses to raise funds for the Children’s Hospice, the Friends of the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Disease; Help 4Heroes, the Fire Service Benevolent Fund, the Royal Marines Hassler Company and a local pre school nursery and after school club.  He also makes greeting cards with local photographs to help raise money for the local RNLI and the Madron Brownies.

 

Christopher Hore, Delabole, Webmaster for the Royal Naval Association, for voluntary services to veterans. Chris has worked as a volunteer for the Royal Naval Association for 15 years.  During this time he designed the first RNA website and helped the RNA areas and branches to develop their own websites.  He was a founder member of the Delabole branch in 1983 and has held a number of positions in the branch and the local area.  He then became the RNA webmaster, supporting the design and testing of their new website and is now involved in updating the site with the latest information on a daily basis.

 

Michael Watts, Penzance, for services to animal welfare and the community in Devon. Michael has been involved in charitable and voluntary work since childhood, helping to raise funds for Cancer Research at coffee mornings and summer fairs as a young boy.  He became a RSPCA volunteer at the age of 14, arranging camping and day trips for children at the age of 15, and at 16 raising money for pensioners to go to the local pantomime and arranging their Christmas party.  He has been an Animal Collection Officer for the RSPCA’s South Devon branch for the past 16 years, regularly working in the evenings, weekends and on his days off to rescue lost, sick and injured domestic, farm and wild animals.  Among his most memorable rescues were helping to clean over 400 oiled seabirds in 2007, and rescuing 200 sheep from severe floods.  Michael moved to West Cornwall in January and has now set up a Small Animal Care Unit at Humphry Davy School where he works as a Small Animal Care technician.  An excellent communicator and teacher, he also has a natural talent for fund raising and was the Devon branches most successful fund raiser.  In 2012 he was awarded the RSCPA’s Silver Badge for exemplary service.  

 

Miss Rachel Tanner, from Torpoint, was also awarded a British Empire Medal for services to British interests in Kabul and to charity work, but was unable to attend the ceremony and will be presented with her award next month.

 

First established in 1922 to replace the Medal of the Order of the British Empire, the British Empire Medal (BEM) is awarded for meritorious civil or military service.   The BEM was awarded in the UK until 1992 when it fell into abeyance.   The honour was then re introduced in 2012 as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations when it was awarded to 293 people from across the UK in The Queen’s Birthday Honours on 16 June.

 

As well as receiving their awards from the Lord Lieutenant, everyone receiving a MBE or a BEM also has the opportunity to attend one of Her Majesty’s Buckingham Palace Garden Parties.

 

“These awards are designed to recognise and celebrate the dedication and hard work provided by local volunteers who make a real difference to their communities” said Col Bolitho.  “All five medallists are worthy recipients and I am honoured to have the opportunity to mark their commitment to others and thank them on behalf of the people of Cornwall”.