East Sussex individuals celebrated in Queen's Birthday Honours

Honours are awarded to individuals for their services to the country on the Queen’s official birthday on June 17 this year (Saturday).

Scottish comedian Billy Connolly, who is based in the United States but has an address in Arlington, has been knighted for his services to entertainment and charity.

Westmeston-based illustrator and author of The Snowman, Raymond Briggs, becomes a CBE for services to literature.

Meanwhile, broadcaster and newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky, who grew up in Barcombe, receives an OBE for services to Holocaust commemoration.

Rosa Monckton, the founder of charity Team Domenica in Brighton, has been appointed an MBE for voluntary and charitable services to people with learning disabilities and their families in the UK and abroad.

She said: “I am honoured to accept this award on behalf of all the young adults, and those who are working with them, at Team Domenica – and beyond that, all the parents throughout the United Kingdom who struggle to provide the best for their special children, against all the obstacles put in their path.”

And Eastbourne Borough Councillor Paul Metcalfe becomes an MBE for his 31 years of voluntary service to the RNLI in the town.

He said: “I’m extremely honoured and proud to be given this recognition, it’s particularly for my family because we have had more than 30 years of Eastbourne lifeboats.

“They have really had to put up with me rushing out in the middle of the night, or missing birthday parties and I almost missed the birth of my son! So this is for them.”

Other recipients commended for their outstanding achievements are:

CBE

Michael Arnold Hammond, of Bexhill, for services to international development.

Professor Melissa Leach, of Brighton, for services to the social sciences.

Dr Crystal Elizabeth Oldman for services to the Queen’s Nursing Institute and community nursing.

OBE

Professor Susan Mary Braye, Emerita professor of Social Work at the University of Sussex, for services to vulnerable people.

Gloria Maureen Elliott, of Hove, for services to awareness of and solutions to pollution from noise.

MBE

Louise Baxter-Scott, of Eastbourne, for services to protecting vulnerable people from financial abuse.

Susan Janet Dare, of Brighton, for services to education.

David Sherrard Sawyer, of Brighton, for services to charity and the community in Brighton.

Richard David Stevens, of Hastings, for services to the community in Hastings.

Duncan Tree, of Brighton, for services to social care.

BEM

Beatrice Evelyn Frost, of Hailsham, for services to UK national heritage.

Mary Holman, of Ditchling, for services to the community of Ditchling.

Amanda Jane Scales, of Brighton, for services to adult learning and skills.

Ruth Tomkins, of Burwash, for charitable services to people with dementia and their carers.

See next week’s paper for more details.