By Tom Mack From Leicester Mercury UK

The county’s reputation for pork pies and Richard III had been reflected in the Queen’s Birthday’s Honours List this year.

Philippa Langley, the driving force behind the discovery of the king in a Leicester car park, has been awarded an MBE for “services to the exhumation and identification of Richard III”.

Historian Dr John Ashdown-Hill, who was closely involved in the reinterment of the king and had the crown made to go on his coffin, also received an MBE.

Philippa said: “I’m honoured to receive this award. I’m delighted the discovery of King Richard has ignited worldwide interest in his story.

“For the very first time, this historical figure is being read about widely to understand the facts surrounding his life and times and to question the received wisdom and ages-old mythology surrounding him.”

She said she had succeeded “against the odds” in bringing about the dig, which was led by archeologists from the University of Leicester.

She said: “It was an epic battle to get the tarmac cut in Leicester.

“Everybody thought the king’s remains had been thrown in the river, or the church was under buildings and a road.

“The Looking For Richard Project succeeded against all the odds and informed history.”

Also honoured in the list was Matthew O’Callaghan, chairman Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association.

Matthew, of Melton, was awarded an OBE for “services to the food industry and small businesses in Leicestershire”.

He said: “I’m quite surprised, actually. My first thought was ‘why me?’.

“It came as a complete shock but I’m absolutely delighted.”

For several years Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association has been sending a Christmas pork pie to both the Queen and Princes Charles.

Jean Lewis of Loughborough has been awarded an MBE for her work as chair of governors at Ashmount Special School in the town.

Her citation states that Jean, 68, “has made an outstanding contribution to education in Leicestershire over a long and sustained period of time.”

It adds: “As chair of Ashmount Special School, she has championed the cause of children with special educational needs and promoted special schools as leaders of education.

“Her actions and leadership have led the school to recently achieve an outstanding Ofsted report.”

Jean, who is also chair of the Leicestershire School Governors Association and the governors at Mountfields Lodge Primary School, said: “I’m not someone who seeks awards but I’m very happy to accept it because it represents the work of a lot of people other than me.”

Jean helped secure the £9.35 million to rebuild Ashmount School, which is one of only three special schools which continue to be run by the county education authority.

Ron Simpson, 68, has been a member of Uppingham Town Council for 12 years and led the ongoing project to develop the Uppingham Neighbourhood Plan, which details when new housing and employment areas should be built in the town.

He has been awarded the British Empire Medal for services to community planning.

He said: “It’s very nice to know that someone thought it was worth nominating me.

“The Neighbourhood Plan took more than two years to pull together with the different editions we did of it.

“But we’re pleased with the plan because it ensures all the new homes are build with optical fibre broadband that the householders own themselves and there will also be a broadband signal broadcasting out to the rural isolated areas, which is very important.”

Mr Simpson is also a businessman and a charity trustee.

Feminist Caroline Criado-Perez, of Rutland, has been awarded an OBE.

Caroline led a campaign to have more women on bank notes in 2013 but she rose to national prominence after describing the abuse she had received online because of her campaign.

Police arrested several people who had allegedly threatened Caroline via Twitter and even through a letter to her mother’s home address.

Before her campaign, the then Bank of England governor Sir Mervyn King had announced that social reformer Elizabeth Fry would be replaced by former Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill on the £5 bank note from 2016.

Caroline, then 29, raised £13,000 to hire a legal team and argued that the Bank of England was failing in its duties to eliminate gender discrimination under the Equality Act.

Thanks to her campaign, and 35,000 people who signed her online petition, Jane Austen will feature on the next £10 note in 2017, the 200th anniversary of her death.

James Hempsall, who has been helping the Government boost education for pre-schoolers, receives the OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

James, 46, of Thornton, receives the award for 25 years of working as an early years and childcare trainer, researcher and consultant.

Over the past three years his company, Hempsall’s, has led the Department for Education’s national support programme for organising 15 hours a week of free early learning for up to 250,000 of the country’s least advantaged two year olds.

He said: “My work is all about fairness.

“We have worked hard at Hempsall’s to support all children’s social and emotional development and their economic well-being so they can have the best start in life.

“We have particularly focused on those that are least advantaged so they can be more equal with their peers and escape the economic and social traps they may find themselves in.

“Rarely, if ever, does anyone receive such an honour without the privilege of working with amazing colleagues and partners and I am no exception.”

Derek Haines, 66, a former superintendent with Leicestershire Police and detective chief superintendent with the Royal Cayman Islands Police, is awarded the MBE for services to community and sport on the Caribbean islands.

Derek, who completed six marathons around the world in eight months last year to help build a hospice on the islands, served with Leicestershire police for more than 30 years and was seconded to the Cayman Islands force in the 1990s.

When he retired from Leicestershire police in 1997, he chose to stay on in the islands’ force.

He retired from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service in 2006 and is now head of the security and community liaison department with development company Dart Cayman Islands.

It is the third time he has featured in the Birthday Honours, having received the Queen’s Police Medal in 2005 for gallantry and the Colonial Police Medal for counter-narcotics work in the Caribbean, in 1999.

His efforts have seen $1,390,000 raised for Cayman HospiceCare, to help the charity build an inpatient and operations hospice.

The company he works for has donated a similar amount in land and services.

Derek was nominated for the honour for his community work and his influence in sport in the Cayman Isalnds where he has served as president of the islands’ rugby union for 14 years and was formerly director of junior rugby.

He said:”When I first came here it was a game mainly played by ex-pats, but now young Caymanians are going to North Carolina for Olympic qualifiers in the Rugby Sevens.”

He added: “It’s a community effort and I feel the medal belongs to everybody, I just get the privilege of wearing it.”

Others receiving honours

OBE

Andrew Bacon of Bushby.

For services to Business and the Economy.

MBE

Eric MacIntyre, of Loughborough.

For services to Higher Education.

Professor Marilyn Palmer, of Groby.

For services to Industrial Archaeology and Heritage.

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Kenneth Dalton, of Blaby.

For services to the community in Blaby Leicestershire.

Sheila Pick, of Oundle.

For services to the Scout Movement in Leicestershire and Northamptonshire.

Elizabeth Sains, Oakham.

For services to the Conservation of Withcote Chapel.

IMAGE: Philippa Langley MBE at the site of Richard III’s grave

For more on this story go to: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Queen-s-Birthday-Honours-List-honours-Richard-III/story-26686602-detail/story.html#ixzz3cxaBwn4F

See iNews Cayman related story published June 12 2015 “Cayman Islands honours three at HM The Queen’s Birthday Parade” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/cayman-islands-honours-three-at-hm-the-queens-birthday-parade/
ADDITIONAL IMAGE: Derek Haines