Former Mayor of March Freddie Grounds awarded MBE in New Year’s Honours List

The honour has been awarded to Mr Grounds, 69, for his voluntary service to the East Anglia Reserve Forces and Cadets Association.

Mr Grounds, who has twice been Mayor of March, is a well-known businessman in the town, as the senior partner in the valuers, auctioneers and estate agents Grounds & Co. He is also a former chairman of Fenland District Council.

Geoff Taylor, who served on the town council with Mr Grounds, said: “He is of the old school - a formidable character, a delight and a lovely person.

“He’s a man who represents the very best of this town and community. He represents an attitude of service and beauty and that’s not putting it too highly.

“You didn’t meet Fred, you knew him. The Grounds were always there - they are traditional March and their business goes back to the 1790s.”

Mr Grounds, who is married to Judith and has four children, Nicholas, Julian, Alexandra and Andrew, said: “When I heard, I was completely overwhelmed.”

Also on the 2011 honours list is Leonard Dunbar, who receives an MBE for his work as a Senior Officer at HM Prison Whitemoor.

Full List of Cambridgeshire Honours

KNIGHTS BACHELOR

Professor Michael John Gregory, CBE. Head, Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge. For services to Technology. (Cambridgeshire)

ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

DBE

Professor Caroline Humphrey. Professor of Collaborative Anthropology, University of Cambridge. For services to Scholarship. (Cambridgeshire)

CBE

Professor Barry John Kemp. Senior Research Fellow, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge. For services to archaeology, education and international relations (Egypt).

Professor Ronald Alfred Laskey. Formerly Professor of Embryology, University of Cambridge and lately director, Medical Research Council Cancer Cell Unit. For services to Science. (Cambridgeshire)

OBE

Ms Margaret Louise Berry. Director of Quality and Executive Nurse, NHS Luton Primary Care Trust. For services to Healthcare. (Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire)

Professor Sheila Macdonald Bird. Senior Scientist, Medical Research Council, Institute of Public Health, Cambridge. For services to Social Science. (Kettering, Northamptonshire)

Alastair Kent. Director, Genetic Alliance U.K. For services to Healthcare. (Cambridgeshire)

Miss Tracey Locke. HR director, Benefits and Credits, London, HM Revenue and Customs. (Little Paxton, Cambridgeshire)

Professor Christopher Robin Lowe. Professor of Biotechnology, University of Cambridge. For services to Science. (Saffron Waldon, Essex)

MBE

Mrs Glennis Anne Bentley. For voluntary service to Young People in Peterborough, Cambridgshire. (Peterborough, Cambridgeshire)

Mrs Judith Anne Borland. For voluntary service to SSAFA Forces Help in Cambridgeshire. (Ely, Cambridgeshire)

Mrs Yvonne Braithwaite. For voluntary service to Macmillan Cancer Support in Cambridgeshire. (Cambridgeshire)

Howard Crabb. Production manager, Marshall Aerospace. For services to the Defence Industry. (Ely, Cambridgeshire)

Leonard William Dunbar. Senior Officer, HM Prison Whitemoor, Cambridgeshire, HM Prison Service, Ministry of Justice. (Wisbech, Cambridgeshire)

Frederick James Grounds, DL. For voluntary service to the East Anglia Reserve Forces and Cadets Association. (March, Cambridgeshire)

Miss Margaret Irene Johnston. Formerly Administrator, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge. For services to Higher Education. (Cambridgeshire)

Mrs Janice Nightingale. For voluntary service to Safer Cycling in Cambridgeshire. (Cambridgeshire)

Dr Katie Petty-Saphon. Director, Medical Schools Council, Dental Schools Council and Association of UK University Hospitals. For services to Medicine. (Cambridgeshire)