Dozens recognised in New Year Honours

Bovington Tank Museum’s “pioneering” historian David Fletcher has been awarded an MBE for his services to the history of armoured warfare.

The internationally renowned author and tank expert is the longest serving member of staff at the Bovington based museum.

He first visited The Tank Museum in the early 1960’s, and was instantly captivated by the vast collection of armour on display.

Since becoming an employee at the museum in 1982, his work includes 30 books, hundreds of articles, and numerous appearances on documentaries shown around the world.

Mr Fletcher said: “Of course, I am hugely honoured by this award especially entering my 30th year of service at The Tank Museum.

“But in truth I have only been doing my job; a job which is in many respects a hobby – from that perspective I am very lucky.”

Tank Museum spokesman Nik Wyness said: “David is not just an asset to The Tank Museum, he is a part of what has made it.

“Few self-taught enthusiasts can claim to be genuine, globally recognised experts in their field, and this award marks his vast and invaluable contribution to the important study of armoured warfare.

Mr Fletcher, who had no background in academic history, had unwittingly set out to become the world’s foremost expert on the subject.

• AUDREY Beall, from Wimborne, receives the MBE for voluntary service to the East Dorset and New Forest branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

The 75-year-old got involved 25 years ago when her husband Peter Beall, 59, died shortly after his diagnosis. Mrs Beall, of Merley, said: “I’m staggered. I don’t feel I deserve this. But it is a fantastic honour and as long as it raises awareness to other people about the disease, that must be good.”

Mrs Beall is a branch committee member and Visitor Co-ordinator, training volunteers up to visit MND sufferers and carers at home.

The mother-of-three is proud of her contributions to the branch’s computer project over the last 10 years, providing computers and broadband to members.

• THE author, columnist and reviewer Lady Rachel Mary Billington – daughter of the seventh earl of Longford – receives an OBE for services to literature.

Over the last 20 years the mother-of-four has written 20 adult novels, nine books for children and three non-fiction titles, as well as television and radio plays.

The 69-year-old has worked for the Evening Standard, the Sunday Telegraph and the New York Times and is now vice-president of the writers’ group English PEN.

She and husband Kevin Billington, a film and theatre director, divide their time between London and Sherborne, where they own the oldest continuously inhabited house in Dorset.

• James Grazebrook, from Cranborne, Managing Director of Halyard Marine Ltd, received an OBE for services to the UK marine industry.

Halyard are the marine silencing specialists, based in Ferndown, which also has offices in Salisbury and Southampton.

James founded the company in 1979 and it grew to become the largest specialist marine engine exhaust system in Europe and the only manufacturer worldwide to manufacture all parts of a marine exhaust system in-house. He has previously held the positions of Chairman of National Boat Shows Ltd and President of the British Marine Federation and still actively works with groups formed to increase the UK superyacht industry.

• John Davis, of Lymington, receives a MBE for services to people suffering from diabetes. Mr Davis set up INPUT in 1998 to raise awareness of the benefits of insulin pump therapy. He was motivated to set up the group after struggling to cope with his own diabetes, until he started using a pump.

• Roger Castle, of Parkstone in Poole, receives a MBE for services to gymnastics. The 77-year-old former Army PE instructor and teacher has been running gymnastics clubs locally since the 1960s. He is chair of the Dorset Schools and Youth Gymnastics Association and runs the Highcliffe Gymnastics Club and two separate tumbling sessions at Rossmore. He said: “It was a surprise to receive the news of the MBE, not necessarily something I feel fully deserved but a great surprise and privilege. My family are particularly delighted.”

• Professor Richard Roberts, from Poole, is SME Market Analysis Director at Barclays Business, and has received an MBE for services to UK small and medium-sized businesses.

He has more than 30 years experience of researching the SME sector and joined Barclays in 1984 and is a member of the Secretary of State’s Advisory Panel on the UK Economy.

• Sarah Dummer-Wade from Shaftesbury, is founder and Chief Executive of ReRun, Dorset Runaways’ Service, and she received an MBE for services to young people.

The service, which was set up by Sarah in 2003, offers a 24-hour emergency contact for children and young people who have run away from home and allows them to have someone to talk to when they need it most.

• Charles Bracken, the Poole-based chairman of SANE, has been awarded the MBE for voluntary service to mental healthcare.

• Philip Burton has been awarded the MBE for services to the community in Leigh, Dorset.

• Paul Chick, chairman of the Carers’ and Parents’ Support Group and Dorset Police Carers’ Support Group has been awarded the MBE for services to the community in Dorset.

• Rory Morrison has received an MBE for her work with the New Forest and District Sailability.

She took on the ailing club in 2002 when it had just three boats and looked likely to close through lack of support.

Together with chairman, Eric Blyth, Rory helped to organise an appeal for volunteers which resulted in a rush of new recruits signing up to assist disabled sailors at the group’s base at the Spinnaker Sailing Club, off Ivy Lane, Blashford.

She also got to work applying for grants for a new pontoon, hoists, boats.

Together with other members and volunteers, Rory has seen the club thrive with more than 200 members and 80 volunteers.

Chairman Eric Blyth said: “We think she’s done so much for the sailing group that we decided to put her forward. She has been with us since 2002 and has put most of her life into the job.”

Coastguard district officer ‘amazed’ to be made an OBE

THE District Officer for Portland Coastguard has been honoured for his service to search and rescue operations Mark Rodaway, 49, said it felt amazing to be made an OBE.

Mr Rodaway of Bournemouth said: “I'm absolutely delighted. Just to be mentioned in the honours list is amazing but this is just incredible.”

Mr Rodaway started his career in the coastguards at Falmouth MRCC in 1989 after serving for 11 years in the Royal Navy. He moved to Great Yarmouth in Norfolk in 1992 as a senior watch officer before being promoted to watch manager.

In 1997 Mr Rodaway moved back to Dorset to the Coastguard National Training Centre in Highcliffe.

While there he was seconded to help the Greek coastguard service to prepare for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and twice assisted the Finnish border guards in Helsinki.

In 2004 Mr Rodaway, who was born and raised in Bournemouth, became District Officer for Portland Coast-guard MRCC in Weymouth.

He said: “If I had looked ahead at my life I'd never for a moment have thought I would end up in charge of search and rescue in my home county – that was really quite something.”

• ROLLS-Royce’s Strategic Govern-ment and International Affairs Adviser Charles Blundell is recognised today for his services to industry with an OBE. Since joining the international power systems provider in 1993, he worked as Director of Government Relations, Company Secretary and Director of Public Affairs. An Oxford-educated former Civil Servant, Mr Blundell became a Rolls-Royce group executive in 2003.

• Dr Arthur Terrence Butland, from Poole, is named receives the OBE for services to Higher Education as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Middlesex University. A qualified physicist, he joined the University in 1997 and has spent much of his career in research and management posts in the nuclear power industry.

Cllr Eric Osmond's MBE

WAREHAM councillor Eric Osmond has been awarded the MBE for services to the community.

As well as serving on the town council, Cllr Osmond is the chairman of Wareham in Bloom.

In recent years the town has achieved top results in the South and South East in Bloom and Britain in Bloom competitions.