Local heroes recognised in this year's New Year Honours

The New Year Honours List 2024 recognises selfless service to others from individuals across the UK.

More than 1,200 recipients have been awarded for their exceptional achievements, with a focus on those who have given with generosity to others in need.

Individuals have been recognised for being dedicated community champions, role models in sport, pioneers in the arts, passionate health workers, and supporters of young people.

The Prime Minister is committed to ensuring that honours are awarded to people across the whole of the UK, so that the honours system captures and celebrates the fantastic contribution of people throughout the country.

Anyone can nominate someone for an honour. If you know someone who has achieved fantastic things worthy of recognition, go to https://www.gov.uk/honours to find out more about how you can put them forward.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: "The New Year 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."

Here are the local residents from Herefordshire, Monmouthshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Shropshire named in the list:

Order of the Companions of Honour Members of the Order of the Companions of Honour

Dr Collin Whitfield WILLSON Animal Welfare Veterinary Lead, Food Standards Agency. For services to Animal Welfare and to Veterinary Public Health in the Meat Industry (Abergavenny, Gwent) 

René OLIVIERI For services to the Charitable Sector (Redditch, Worcestershire)

Andrew Grant DUNCAN DL For services to the community in Worcestershire (Worcester, Worcestershire)

Mark Robert Timothy GARNIER MP Member of Parliament for Wyre Forest. For Political and Public Service (Worcestershire)

Jilly COOPER CBE Author. For services to Literature and to Charity (Stroud, Gloucestershire)

Polly Theresa PAYNE Director General, Policy, Department for Culture, Media and Sport. For Public Service (Lechlade, Gloucestershire) 

Dr Jane Patricia MONCKTON-SMITH Professor of Public Protection, University of Gloucestershire. For services to Criminal Justice (Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

Steven Ross SAVORY Chief Executive Officer, Gloucestershire Learning Alliance. For services to Education (Cheltenham, Gloucestershire)

Zehra ZAIDI For services to International Development, to Humanitarian Action and to Community Cohesion (Longhope, Gloucestershire)

Members of the Order of the British Empire

Ellen SOMME Founder, Teddy Trust. For services to Vulnerable Children (Hereford, Herefordshire)

Philip Richard CHANDLER For services to the community in Herefordshire (Hereford, Herefordshire) 

Huw William Edmond EDWARDS Founder Member, Monmouth Male Voice Choir. For services to Music and to Charity (Monmouth, Gwent

Robert CHRISTIE Head Coach, Scotland Paralympic Lawn Bowls Team. For services to Lawn Bowls (Brechin, Angus) Michael CLADINGBOWL For services to Education (Wem, Shropshire)

Dr Gillian Mary EATOUGH Lately Chief Executive Officer, Learning Community Trust. For services to Education (Bridgnorth, Shropshire)

Ian James Donald SHARP Lately Captain, 6th Wolverhampton Boys' Brigade. For services to Young People in Wolverhampton (Market Drayton, Shropshire)

Trudy Helen BERLET Lately Lead Midwife for Bereavement Care, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. For services to Midwifery (Worcester, Worcestershire)

Suzette Louise DAVENPORT QPM Chair, National Driver Offending Retraining Scheme. For services to Road Safety (Worcester, Worcestershire)

Susan HORNBY Co-Founder and Head Teacher, The Bridge School Malvern. For services to Disadvantaged Children (Malvern, Worcestershire)

Brenda Anne LINES Chair, Big Local DY10. For services to the community in Kidderminster, Worcestershire (Kidderminster, Worcestershire)

Phillip George POTTER Regional Lead, West Midlands, Wales and South West, UK Export Finance. For services to Business and to the community in Worcestershire (Bewdley, Worcestershire)

Keith Wyn SORRELL Lately Chief Executive Officer, Windsor Academy Trust. For services to Education (Worcester, Worcestershire)

Sarah VAUGHAN Deputy Head Teacher, Perryfields Primary Pupil Referral Unit, Worcester. For services to Education (Worcester, Worcestershire)

Peter MOUNTFORD Lately Executive Chairman, Heropreneurs. For voluntary services to Armed Forces Personnel (Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

Carys PARRY Voluntary Party Manager, Conservative Party. For Political Service (Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire)

Dr Andrew STOTT Lately Science Adviser, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. For services to Nature and Climate (Lydney, Gloucestershire)

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire Bar to the Medal of the Order of the British Empire

Lyndsey Claire EVANS For services to the community in South Wye, Herefordshire (Hereford, Herefordshire)

Rosemary Dale WEBB For services to the community in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire (Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire)

Louise Emily WRIGHT For services to Business and to the community in Hereford (Hereford, Herefordshire)

Olive ARNOLD For services to the community in Bronington, Shropshire (Whitchurch, Shropshire)

Mabel Elsie FINNIGAN County Captain, Shropshire Ladies Bowls Team. For services to Bowls (Telford, Shropshire)

Richard Charles FOWLER Library Lead, Harbury Community Library, Warwickshire. For services to Libraries (Oswestry, Shropshire)

Paul RUSHWORTH Founder, Professionals with Alzheimer's. For services to Charity (Shrewsbury, Shropshire)

Dr Jennifer Ann FROW Volunteer, Bewdley Tennis Club. For services to Lawn Tennis in Worcestershire (Bewdley, Worcestershire)

Karen HUMPHRIES Assessor and Duke of Edinburgh Award Manager, Nunnery Wood High School, Worcester. For services to Young People (Worcester, Worcestershire)

Isobel Jennifer CLINK For services to Golf (Cheltenham, Gloucestershire)

Jill Elaine CROOK Director, Nursing, Professional and System Development, NHS England (South West). For services to Transforming Care, Learning Disability and Autism (Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire) 

Janet Shirley DYER Catering Manager, National Fire Service College. For services to the community in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire (Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire)

Timothy John HEWER For services to Beekeeping in Little Stoke, South Gloucestershire (Gloucestershire)

Michael George JAYNES Akela, 1st Hatherley Scouts, Cheltenham. For services to Young People and to the community in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (Cheltenham, Gloucestershire)

Patricia Ellen JONES For services to the community in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire (Stonehouse, Gloucestershire)