Leading lights across Cambridgeshire have been recognised for their hard work and dedication in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List.
Among those recognised are a Fenland farmer, the chief constable of Cambridgeshire, people who have volunteered with national and regional charities, someone who has promoted progress in medicine and those who have given their services in the field of surgery, social science and technology.
Fenland farmer John Hoyles, a former leader of the country’s sugar beet growers, is made an MBE.
The long-serving chairman of the National Farmers’ Union’s sugar board, who stood down two years ago as a member, is also chairman of the North Level Internal Drainage Board.
His family farms at Newton and has been growing mustard for Colman’s of Norwich for more than a century.
Mr Hoyles, 74, of Newton Hall, said: “It’s nice that agriculture has been recognised.”
Mr Hoyles is chairman of Newton Parish Council, a churchwarden and chairman of the governors of Tydd St Giles Primary School.
Two years ago, he attracted one of the largest crowds at village hall for a talk on his farming career.
He stood down from the executive board of the British Beet Research Organisation four years ago after helping to set it up. He retained an influential voice on the key committee introducing new beet varieties.
He was also a leader of its predecessor, the Sugar Beet Research Education Committee, and was chairman of the advisory committee of the Ministry of Agriculture’s former experimental husbandry farm at Terrington.
The Queen’s Police medal has been awarded to Cambridgeshire chief constable Simon Parr for his distinguished police service.
Mr Parr was appointed to the role in September 2010, following three years as deputy chief constable in Hertfordshire.
He previously spent 20 years with Sussex Police, during which time he was commander of East Downs Division. He was latterly head of the force’s operations department.
He said: “I was both proud and very surprised when I learnt of this honour.
“Recognition of this kind is not what we work for in policing, which makes it all the more exciting when it comes. It is also a great reflection on the Constabulary, and all the selfless work that colleagues do each and every day.
“I would also like to say a huge thank you to my family, who have supported me for so long.”
Cambridgeshire police commissioner Sir Graham Bright said: “It is a pleasure to work with Simon.
“His leadership has not only made Cambridgeshire one of the safest places in the country, but also put the constabulary on the map with its programme of cutting-edge information technology.”
A woman at the centre of raising more than £500,000 for the British Red Cross in Cambridgeshire is made an MBE.
Rosemary Gutteridge joined the Red Cross about 27 years ago after being asked to join fund-raising committees and for the past 17 years has been the chairman of the Cambridge Appeals Committee.
Mrs Gutteridge, president of the Cambridgeshire Red Cross Society, said: “I received a letter from the Cabinet Office three weeks ago informing me of the honour. It is a huge honour. I only told my husband and have had to keep it a secret since.
“I was shocked and didn’t believe it until I saw it in print. I don’t know who has nominated me or why, it’s still a mystery.
“I just see it as a recognition of all the wonderful work of the hard-working Red Cross volunteers in Cambridgeshire - it is a real team effort.”
Due to her work co-ordinating fund-raising in Cambridgeshire, the county is seen nationally as one of the biggest fund-raising areas.
The doctor who helped deliver the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s baby Prince George has also been recognised.
Marcus Setchell, 70, of Hemingford Abbots, the Queen’s gynaecologist from 1997, was asked to postpone his retirement to deliver Prince George and has been made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.
Other Cambridgeshire people also recognised are:
MBE
• Graham Redgrave, chief airworthiness engineer at Marshall Aerospace, for his services to the RAF and the defence industry in Cambridgeshire.
• Georgina Seddon. co-founder and co-organiser of Welcome International Students of Cambridge, for services to higher education and international relations.
OBE
• Prof Juliet Compston, an emeritus professor of bone medicine in the Department of Medicine at the University of Cambridge, for services in the treatment of osteoporosis
• Bridget Lindley, deputy chief executive and principal legal adviser to the Family Rights Group, for services to families.
CBE
• Prof Ash Amin, professor of geography at the University of Cambridge, for services to social science
• David East, former chief executive of ARM Holdings, for services to the technology industry
• Prof David Neal, professor of surgical oncology at the University of Cambridge, for services to surgery.
BEM
• Ian Sheldon, for services to the community in Castor, near Peterborough. He is one of the original founders and volunteers of the village youth club and has been the main co-ordinator of the annual church and village festival which has raised more than £100,000 since 2000.
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