From teens to pensioners, Pembrokeshire people who have been recognised in the King’s New Year’s Honours list and rewarded for their hard work and dedication.
Pembrokeshire’s youngest honours recipient ever is 13-year-old Elyn (Ellie) Catherine Neville. For charitable services to Cancer Patients and to Cancer Services in Pembrokeshire. (Pembroke, Dyfed) Ellie has been awarded a BEM for services to charitable services to cancer patients and to cancer services in Pembrokeshire.
When she was just five, she raised £500 for the cancer ward at Withybush Hospital that cared for her father when he was receiving cancer treatment. She is now the face of a fundraising appeal that has raised over £210,000 for improvements to cancer services at Withybush Hospital.
Other Pembrokeshire recipients honoured for their work in the health care sector are Gina Beard MBE, lead cancer nurse at Hywel Dda University Health Board for services to cancer nursing and Haverfordwest’s Dr Michael Bartlett, medical educator at Hywel Dda Health Board and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution for services to medical education.
Haverfordwest-based Linda Jacqueline Edmunds, a consultant nurse for heart failure and cardiac rehabilitation at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has also been awarded an MBE for services to cardiac rehabilitation and heart failure.
Former mayor of Neyland, presiding member and founder member of Pembrokeshire County Council, historian and museum curator Dr Simon Leslie Hancock has also received an MBE for services to the community in Pembrokeshire.
Doreen has helped generate more than £1 million for the RNLI in the last 11 years alone. Her dedication has made her shop in Tenby consistently the second busiest in the UK and Ireland.
Another volunteer stalwart, Milford Haven guide leader, Wendy Angharad Barnett was awarded the BEM for services to girl-guiding and to the community in Milford Haven.
Wendy has been a Guide Leader in Pembrokeshire for 55 years and over 1,000 girls, between the ages of 11 and 16 have benefitted from her advice and encouragement.
For the past 20 years, she has also arranged the annual Pembrokeshire Christmas Parcel Scheme, where food parcels are delivered to families who are struggling. Last Christmas, over 100 families benefited from this project.
In north Pembrokeshire Euros Hefin Edwards, Crymych Fire Station watch manager with Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service has been awarded the BEM for services to fire and rescue.
In nearby Ceredigion Shann Erin Jones, director of Chuckling Goat in Llandysul has been awarded an MBE For services to charity and to innovation in Wales.
Chuckling Goat launched in 2014 when Shann, a former Texan radio talk show host joined forces with farmer Richard Jones, whose cultural roots are immersed deep in his 25-acre farm, to produce kefir from goat milk.
The company is now a thriving enterprise with customers across the globe, yet sustainability and development in harmony with the land and the environment lie at the heart of the company's operation.
To read more about the individual honourees, click on the links above.
Secretary of state for Wales David TC Davies said: “I am inspired by the many inspirational people from across Wales who have deservedly been recognised on the New Year Honours List.
“It is fantastic to see people from such a wide range of backgrounds being recognised, including for services to business, community work, culture, charity or health.
“Hearing about the extraordinary and invaluable work of so many people from across Wales is inspiring - I congratulate all the recipients being honoured and thank each and every one for their contribution.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “The New Year’s Honours list recognises the exceptional achievements of people across the country and those who have shown the highest commitment to selflessness and compassion.
“To all honourees, you are the pride of this country and an inspiration to us all.”
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said: “Everyone from Wales receiving honour today represents the best in British communities.
“I send my warmest congratulations to this year’s recipients, all of whom are incredibly deserving for what they have achieved.
“If you know someone in your community who has done something extraordinary, nominate them for an honour so together we can recognise what they have achieved.”
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