Pembrokeshire people who have made important contributions to the health service, the environment and their communities are amongst those chosen to receive awards in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in her Platinum Jubilee year.
A leading figure in the Pembroke locality, 77-year-old Rose Blackburn, receives the BEM for services to tourism and the community.
Mrs Blackburn has been the town crier of Pembroke for 27 years, and is a current town councillor and former mayor.
Her volunteering roles over the years have been widespread, ranging from the youth justice board to animal welfare, the Pembrokeshire Community Health Council and local history groups and projects.
She is passionate about the history of Pembroke, helping to set up the town museum, and has been active in the fundraising campaigns for the Henry VII and William Marshal statues.
Mrs Blackburn said that what has given her the most enjoyment in her many voluntary roles is ‘the interaction with so many people who want to get things done'.
She added: "I've got a wide set of acquaintaces and friends from all over, which is very interesting.
"There has been a lot of fun along the way."
There is an MBE for Steve Drinkwater of Narberth, who has been involved with the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme (DoE), for almost 50 years.
For more than three decades, he been a driving force in promoting the scheme in Pembrokeshire.
As a DoE volunteer and assessor, Mr Drinkwater, 72, receives his award for services to young people.
Before 1989, Pembrokeshire participation in the scheme was scarce, but now, several hundred young people take part every yeae.
Thanks to his efforts as an expedition leader, trainer, supervisor and assessor, 7,467 DoE have been attained by young people in Pembrokeshire between 1990 and 2021.
Mr Drinkwater said he was 'absolutely delighted' at the news of his honour.
His lifelong love of outdoor activities began with his keen involvement in the Scout movement before he qualified as a teacher.
He joined the Pembrokeshire DoE team when he came to the county in 1989 to join the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority as its education officer.
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Two women who have worked to improve and provide crucial services within the Hywel Dda NHS Trust during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic are to each receive the British Empire Medal (BEM).
Suzanne Tarrant, 58, from Narberth, is the head of the staff psychological wellbeing service for the Hywel Dda University Healtrh Board.
A passionate champion of sustainability and an advocate of nature, she has made an enormous contribution to the furtherance of the green health agenda in the Health Board, particularly at Withybush General Hospital.
She receives her Queen's Birthday Honour for services to health and wellbeing during Covid-19
Her work to include staff wellbeing included leading ateam to develop a range of supporting resources for staff and the publication of a booklet ‘Supporting your Mental Health and Wellbeing’ - which was posted individually to each staff member.
Mandy Davies, 58, from Hundleton, receives her BEM for 'services to health and social care in Wales, particularly during the Covid-19 response'.
At the start of the pandemic, she volunteered to take the lead in setting up and operating a command centre - a novel idea in health care.
This provided a central point of contact for staff across the health board to access rapid expert advice and direction in an extremely fast-paced, ever changing environment.
It has evolved into a single point of contact for patients, famillies and health and social care staff in West Wales.
The centre dealt with over 1,200 calls in one day associated with the Covid-19 vaccination, but however busy, Ms Davies remained calm and un-phased.
This was all in addition to her day-to-day role as a senior nurse with a lead role for quality improvement across the organisation.
The MBE for services to marine conservation goes to 60-year-old Phil Newman of Dreenhill, Haverfordwest.
He has been working to protect and monitor marine wildlife for more than 30 years, notably at Pembrokeshire’s Skomer Marine Conservation Zone.
As the senior marine environmental assessment officer for Natural Resources Wales, his work has included research into marine ecology, species genetics, impacts and the development of new methods for monitoring and data analysis.
he has forged strong links with academics and renowned experts both in the UK and across the world including universities as far afield as New Zealand and Poland as well as in the UK.
His work has also seen him at the forefront of innovative techniques within the Skomer MCZ, such as acoustic moitoring of the sub-tidal seagrass at North Haven and developing a ross coral monitoring method.
He has also been instrumental in the installation of meteorological and oceanographic data recording equipment to ensure the inclusion of Skomer Marine Conservation Zone as a key marine component part of the European Climate Change Network (ECN).
"He has tirelessly raised the profile of Skomer MCZ and he has been a real advocate for marine conservation, " Mr Newman's nomination stated.
There is also an MBE for former Pembrokeshire veterinary surgeon John Burns, who receives his award for services to business and the community.
Mr Burns, 73, who now lives in Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire, has created Burns Pet Nutrition which has developed into a flourishing award-winning brand.
It now has six shops in locations including Haverfoirdwwest and Narberth, where Mr Burns practiced as a vet in the 1970s.
In 2018, he celebrated 25 years of trading, and 25 years of feeding healthy and happy pets. He donated 25 per cent of the company profits to charity.
Meanwhile Commodore Melanie Robinson, from Pembroke, has been awarded a CBE.
Commodore Robinson has made an exceptional contribution to Defence from being the first female commanding officer of a Royal Navy warship to being the senior Maritime Reservist and the first woman to command a fighting arm supporting the Fleet.
With a comprehensive long-term vision of how the Maritime Reserves should be configured, she has led a generational change in its direction and management.
The architect of the transformation of the Maritime Reserves at every level, her leadership has formed a Reserve force that is a credible, relevant, effective, and agile fighting arm of the Royal Navy delivering critical Defence tasks alongside Regular colleagues.
Commodore Melanie Robinson said: "I am truly humbled. Thank you to the Royal Naval Reservists and Royal Marines Reservists for embracing my appetite for generational change.
"The award spotlights the credibility of the Maritime Reserves as a fighting arm; we exist to deliver our people capabilities.
"I trust I epitomise what can be achieved with the support of a loving family and a Service that is totally committed to adapting its ways of working to unlock people’s potential for the betterment of our fantastic organisation and for Defence."
Welsh Secretary Simon Hart said:
“In this special Jubilee year, I am once again inspired by the stories of the many people from across Wales who have deservedly been recognised on the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
“As well as honouring people who have excelled in sport and the arts, these awards celebrate individuals who selflessly give back to those around them, both through their work and personal lives.
"It is heart-warming to see the hugely diverse range of recipients from right across Wales recognised for their commitment to charity, education, community work and health.
“I congratulate each person honoured and thank them for their invaluable contribution.”
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