Our Suffolk heroes in the 2022 New Year's Honours list

In total, there are 21 Suffolk recipients in the 2022 list who have been recognised in areas from mental health and British horseracing heritage to education and young people.

This year, a number of honours are dedicated to individuals for services to the community in Suffolk during the coronavirus crisis.

KNIGHTS BACHELOR

Dr Douglas Oakervee, from Newmarket, has been made a Knights Bachelor for services to transport and infrastructure delivery, including chairing an independent review of HS2, the planned high speed railway link across England.

Amongst other achievements, Dr Oakervee is chair of the executive group responsible for the Institute of High Speed Rail and Systems Integration at the University of Leeds, where he is a visiting professor.

He is a past president of the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers.

Dr Oakervee, 81, said he was "very surprised and very humbled" to receive the honour, which is his third following on from previous awards of OBE and CBE.

CBE

Sir Laurence Henry Philip Magnus, from the Bungay area, chair of Historic England and member of the Culture Recovery Board, has received a CBE for services to heritage, particularly during Covid-19.

OBE

Antony Bowring, from Saxmundham, lately secretary and ship organiser for the Transglobe Expedition Trust, has received an OBE honour for services to charity.

Suffolk-born actress June Brown, best known as chain-smoking Albert Square stalwart Dot Cotton in EastEnders, has been made an OBE.

The 94-year-old, born in Needham Market, has been recognised for services to drama and to charity.

MBE

Ipswich's Frank Bright has an MBE for services to Holocaust education.

Jordan Catchpole, Paralympic gold medallist, has been made an MBE for services to swimming.

The 22-year-old from Beccles has had a phenomenal, golden and surreal year and is one of the youngest people to receive this honour.

At the end of a momentous year for the Paralympian, Mr Catchpole said he felt like he was "living in a dream".

Margaret Davenport, also known as Tarby, has been made an MBE for services to arts in the community in Suffolk.

Ms Davenport, from Stowmarket, said she "didn't expect it at all".

She added: “I used to run festivals, fairs, kids' workshops, things like that throughout England as well as Suffolk.”

Ms Davenport, who is now retired, has spent the last 20 years spearheading the Weird and Wonderful Wood arts and craft fayre at Haughley Park. The fayre will be staying in the family as her daughter takes over in the new year.

Consultant clinical psychologist, Dr Beth Mosley, has been awarded an MBE for services to mental health.

Dr Mosley, who works for Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT), works in schools across Suffolk, including Thurston Community College, providing mental health care to students.

Dr Mosley helped pioneer the 'Psychology in Schools Team' which helps to support students and give guidance and training to staff, hoping to improve mental health in the community.

BBC Radio Suffolk's Mark Murphy is made an MBE for services to radio and to the community in Suffolk. He has launched a series of successful campaigns to tackle the likes of littering and knife crime, and created Suffolk Day in 2017 to champion the county.

George Paul, 81, from Wherstead, near Ipswich, has been made an MBE for services to British horseracing heritage, including his pivotal work for the Palace House Estate restoration project in Newmarket.

Mr Paul, who is a past chairman of Jockey Club Estates, had been tasked in the early 90s with restoring the heritage assets and developing the training facilities in Newmarket so they "became the best in the world, which is what they are now," he said.

Mr Paul, a former chairman of the National Horse Racing Museum, was a key player in achieving the new National Horse Racing Museum, which in 2016 moved to the restored Palace House Estate that occupies the remains of Charles II's sporting palace.

He is still involved with the Suffolk Horse Society and he added: "In one way or another we have got the Suffolk Horse back on its feet."

BEM

Darren Aitchison has been awarded a BEM for services to the community in Felixstowe during the pandemic.

Mr Aitchison said: "I'm humbled, I was just trying to help people."

The town councillor set up Felixstowe Helping Hands, which supported those in need during the pandemic.

"I set up the group so that people who were allowed to go out could go and do the shopping and collect medication, collect pet medicine, all that kind of stuff for the elderly and vulnerable that had to isolate and stay indoors."

Long-serving volunteer police officer Paul Booker, who returned to the beat after overcoming horrific injuries in a crash with a drink driver, has been recognised with a BEM.

Mr Booker, from Lowestoft, has dedicated thousands of hours as a volunteer special constable and now special superintendent with Suffolk Constabulary in east Suffolk.

Susan Collins' BEM is for services to the community in Bungay during Covid-19.

Averil Gibbins, who was a cleaner at Whitehouse Community Primary School, Ipswich, for 51 years, is awarded the BEM for services to education.

Franstine Jones has been awarded a BEM for her work as a volunteer and trustee at the National Black Police Association and for her services to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities in Suffolk.

Kathryn Parker has been awarded a BEM for services to the community in Woolpit, near Bury St Edmunds, during the pandemic.

Ipswich's Adria Pittock, chartered environmentalist and chair of Suffolk Pride, has been honoured with a BEM for services to the environment and the LGBTQ+ community in Suffolk.

Crystal Stanley, from Ipswich, whose idea of a Rainbow Trail to support NHS and keyworkers was adopted nationwide, receives a BEM. The rainbows were even praised by the Queen when she addressed the nation in April 2020.

Lorraine Stone, 71, received her BEM for services to the community in Moulton, where she was clerk to Moulton Parish Council from 1986 to 2020.

She said: "Whilst gratefully accepting this honour I wish to pay tribute to Victor Phillips, my predecessor, who served Moulton from 1948 having returned from a Prisoner of War camp at the end of World War II.

"He taught me everything I know about parish management, and guided me through my first few years of service."

She thanked Moulton Parish chairmen she has worked with over the years, adding: "I share this award with you, and with all the councillors I have had the pleasure of working with since 1986."

John Tillotson, 56, from West Row, was honoured with a BEM for voluntary service to young people in Suffolk.

Mr Tillotson, an executive officer at RAF Lakenheath, has been involved with Suffolk Army Cadet Force for a decade, currently running Mildenhall detachment.

He said: "One of the things I do it for is I enjoy working with young people and, especially because of my childhood, make them believe anything is possible."

He said it was "nice" to be recognised with the award, but it wouldn't change him.

Krystal Vittles, who lives near Stowmarket and is Suffolk Libraries' head of service delivery, was awarded a BEM for services to public libraries.

Sally Angeline Hammond, group manager of Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, has been awarded the Queen's fire service medal (QFSM).

Ms Hammond tragically lost her brother in September 2016 when he took his own life.

She has since spoken out about mental health issues, and is helping to raise money for mental health charity Suffolk Mind by swimming two miles at the Great East Swim.

• If you would like advice on how to nominate somebody for a national honour, please contact the Lieutenancy Office at Suffolk County Council by emailing honours@suffolk.gov.uk