Dorset heroes honoured in New Year list (From Bournemouth Echo)

Dorset heroes honoured in New Year list

7:00am Thursday 31st December 2009 in

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UNSUNG heroes, charity champions and community stalwarts have been honoured across Dorset and the New Forest in the New Year Honours List today.

Three times mayor of Christchurch Cllr Josephine Spencer was among those awarded an MBE for services to the community in the town.

Mrs Spencer, who was first elected in 1995 and is currently deputy mayor, represents the council on a host of outside bodies, including the Citizens Advice Bureau, Christchurch Youth Consultative Committee and the Dorset Arts Advisory Group.

Her work in the community includes starting a support group for people with macular degeneration, starting the dial-a-bus service in Christchurch and helping to found the Friends of Christchurch Station.

And other feathers in her cap include being the president of Guiding in Christchurch, president of Highcliffe Art Fellowship and president of the Christchurch Air Cadets.

But the modest grandmother passed on the credit to the community, insisting she was only a “gatherer of people”.

She said the award was “quite overwhelming” and “a privilege” but said it was “really the community that is being awarded”.

She added: “I’m very proud of what the community, with a little help from me, has achieved.”

The deputy chief constable of Dorset Police, Christopher Lee, was honoured with the Queen’s Police Medal.

Dorset Police Chief Constable Martin Baker said: “The force is delighted at this recognition of Chris Lee’s contribution to policing, both in the county and nationally.”

DCC Lee joined the Metropolitan Police in 1981. He served in Hampshire before being appointed Assistant Chief Constable of Dorset Police in 1999.

In 2002 he was appointed Deputy Chief Constable with responsibility for professional standards, corporate development, community engagement and media and corporate communications.

DCC Lee is currently the ACPO national lead for volunteers in the police service.

Jacqueline Upton-King received an MBE for her services to the people of Sturminster Newton.

Mrs Upton-King has been the chairman of the SturQuest Community Partnership for 12 years and has overseen a range of projects, including the building of the town’s acclaimed Exchange arts centre.

She said: “I received a letter from the cabinet office about three or four weeks ago. I was sat down drinking a cup of coffee. When I opened the letter I burst into tears.”

“It’s as much a reward for the extraordinary team of determined people I’ve been privileged to work with, and for the town of Sturminster Newton, which has picked itself up after the market closed 12 years ago.”

Diana Hill Bucknall from Blandford received the MBE for her voluntary work in Dorset.

Patrick Millard received an MBE for his work with Bridport-based charity TaxHelp for Older People.

Mr Millard, 66, helped found the organisation in 2001 and the volunteer-led charity now operates across the country, receiving 20,000 phone calls a year.

He said: “This is important recognition for the scheme and I just have the privilege of leading it.

“It is a reward for the staff and volunteers around the country who do a magnificent job.”

Gilda Newsham receives the MBE for voluntary service to the Alzheimer’s Society.

Mrs Newsham has worked with the society in the New Forest for 12 years.

The former health professional, who has been branch chairman for nine years, said: “I am proud to receive it, but I haven’t done this on my own. I work with other very committed volunteers and staff, so I would like to say well done to them.

“We have four outreach workers, befriending services, art groups, music groups and support groups.

“In the New Forest we have possibly one of the highest elderly populations in the country, that means the number of people with dementia is incredibly high.

“There are a lot of people going on a very difficult journey, needing all the help they can get.

“The honour is quite a privilege.”

Meanwhile, Lymington-based businessman William Hynett, the group chief executive officer of B-N Group Ltd, receives the OBE for services to the defence industry.

The former military pilot, who was involved in active service in the Gulf, Bosnia and Kosovo, said: “It was an incredible honour to be recognised in this way.

“As you may have gathered, I’ve put in a huge amount of effort to get the business into a position where it gives valuable service to the Ministry of Defence.”

The Isle of Wight-based aviation business supplies specialised equipment for the MOD and UK police forces.

Mr Hynett said: “We’ve met some very ambitious timescales of complex equipment at incredibly low budget, which is important in these current economic times.

“That equipment has been very much at the forefront of the military’s activities.

“I really feel that the award is very much about being the leader of a very strong team of people, and its very much about everyone in my team.”

Judith Strange, of Lyndhurst, receives the MBE for services in the field of child poverty.

Miss Strange, of the Department of Work and Pensions, works across southern England as a childcare partnership manager.

She said: “I’m just so passionate about this agenda. I think for the first time the department is looking to really put advisors into the community, so families are more confident in working with us.

“This for me, is a really exciting time.”