Politicians, businesspeople, volunteers and community figures from across the region have been speaking to The Northern Echo of their pride at being recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours

ONE of the region’s most senior Conservative officials said he was "tickled pink" to have been made an MBE.

Ian Galletley, 68, is a long-serving member of Darlington Borough Council and stood in the Stockton North seat at the 2010 General Election.

He recently completed a stint as chairman of the Conservative Party in the North-East, as well as working for Stockton South MP James Wharton.

This weekend will be one to remember for Mr Galletley and his family, particularly his older brother, Roger.

The brothers will be united at Usk, in Monmouthshire, where Roger Galletley became mayor.

Ian Galletley, a former part-time prison chaplain, will give a sermon at a church service to welcome his brother as mayor.

Their parents are buried in the church’s graveyard.

He said: “It will be a terrific day for our family, with Roger becoming mayor and me with the MBE.

“The award is not for local government work, because I have not done as much of that as many people in Darlington.

“It is for 43 years of work for the Conservative party in Darlington.”

Praise for Mr Galletley has come from political allies and foes alike.

Mr Wharton said: "This is well deserved recognition for someone who has given countless years of public service.

“Ian can rightly be as proud of this as many of us are of him."

Darlington council leader Bill Dixon added: “This honour recognises the hard work and commitment shown by Cllr Galletley.

“He deserves such an accolade and should feel rightly proud of his achievement.”

Another councillor with almost 40 years of unbroken public service has been an OBE for his work in education and regeneration in Middlesbrough.

Mike Carr was a teacher and lecturer at St Mary’s School in his home town for more than 30 years and is a long-standing governor at its primary, secondary and special schools. A Labour councillor since 1976, he was leader from 1983 to 1995.

Also at Middlesbrough Council, community learning service manager, Christopher Kemp has been awarded an MBE for services to adult education.

Mr Kemp, a former soldier in the British Army, he headed up the launch of a shared e-learning service across Teesside’s local authorities which became a major success winning awards, both locally and nationally.

“I’m a man of few words but I can say I’m absolutely chuffed,” he said. “When the letter first arrived we thought it was a joke, it is only now beginning to sink in.”

In Hartlepool, Peggy Joan Allen is an MBE for services to the community in Seaton Carew, and British Empire Medals were awarded to Elizabeth O’Rourke, of Hartlepool Blind Welfare Association, for services to people with visual impairments and Valerie Lister of Hartlepool Civic Society for services to heritage in the town.

And in Guisborough a British Empire Medal has been bestowed for charitable services on Nancy Margaret Webb, chairman of the town’s Save the Children branch.

A man who has devoted his spare time to his community for over three decades has been awarded a British Empire Medal.

For the past 34 years, Neil Moffett, has been making a difference to the lives of residents, including underprivileged children and the elderly.

The 47-year-old, from Consett, joined The 16th Grove Boys’ Brigade aged at seven, became a BB Leader at 16 and now is Captain of the 5th Blackhill Company.

Thirty years on, he continues to work tirelessly on weekly and weekend events and games for children.

He is an active member of The Grove Methodist Church as a Worship Leader, and works as a childcare co-ordinator with Churches Together in Derwentside, organising events for families in the community.

He provides hands-on support to the Salvation Army, working in their centre two nights per week and throughout the year engages others to support the food parcel appeal, as well as the Christmas Toy Appeal for the most deprived and vulnerable.

He plays trombone with Consett Brass, fundraising for local charities by playing in supermarkets and other local venues, as well as rehearsing with the Salvation Army Band.

Mr Moffett, who works as an advisor for Job Centre Plus, said: “I am very honoured to think that someone should think that I deserve such an award. “It is nice to be recognised for the work I do. It is something I enjoy doing. It is a pleasant surprise, I wasn’t expecting it at all.”

Diana Hinns, 50, from Dipton, near Stanley, has been awarded a British Empire Medal in recognition of her community work.

She began her charity work in 1976, aged 13 when a friend asked her to help with the children of St James Sunday School Class.

As her experience grew she expanded her charitable activities running a number of holiday clubs, camps and training sessions for the United Reformed Church (URC) in various locations in the North-East.

She also worked for the charity SEARCH for five years from 2003 to 2008 and created the concept of and organised countless Knit and Natter groups.

She arranged for members to knit clothes for premature babies, teddies for traumatised children and jumpers and blankets for families in third world countries.

In 2010 she was able to support local school children by knitting teddies that were sent with other parcels of toys to Lesoto orphanage in Africa. She attends a local coffee morning at Burnopfield Christian Fellowship where she collects for the shoe box appeal.

Since 2009 she has knitted 250 hats, 250 scarves and 250 pairs of gloves to go in these boxes.

It is estimated that she has raised more than £50,000 over 30 years of fundraising.

Ms Hinns, who works for the Home Office, said: “It is a very nice surprise.

“I am very honoured and amazed that anyone would think of putting me forward.”

Anita Savory, Durham County Councillor for Weardale, was nominated for an MBE due to her fundraising efforts for the MS Society, Butterwick Hospice and Weardale Community Hospital.

Councillor Savory, who has also been a magistrate in south Durham since 2006, has raised more than £50,000 for the MS Society through her annual Stars in their Eyes nights.

And she has raised even more for the hospital in Stanhope and hospice in Bishop Auckland.

Cllr Savory, 51, said: “I’m absolutely overwhelmed by it, something like this never even crossed my mind.

“This isn’t just for me though, this is for all the people in Weardale who are supporting their communities and have helped me over the years.

“I’m also extremely grateful to my family for their huge support over the years.”

Her first community work started in 1997 running dances and shows at St Anne’s Hall in Wolsingham.

She was elected as an independent member of Durham County Council in 2008.

Meanwhile, 72-year-old farmer Peter Stubbs from Kinninvie near Barnard Castle will receive an MBE for services to policing.

He was a founding member of Farmwatch in Teesdale in 1989 and has been a key player ever since.

A Whitby-based fishing industry education centre chief executive has been honoured with an MBE for her instrumental work in its start-up and sustainability.

Anne Hornigold got involved in the fishing industry in about 2000 when she was approached because of her background in business development to help set up a training centre when the industry was facing a crisis.

She said: “There were just not enough young people coming up through the industry.

“We faced a lot of hurdles early on – we thought we would get a lot of local apprentices but at first we got none so had to open it up nationally.

“There was a law which said all apprentices had to be employed and have a contact – but because fishermen are mostly self-employed this was impossible so I had to lobby for change in the law, which came into practice in 2011.”

The centre now trains fishermen from across the country.

Mrs Hornigold added: “I’m so grateful for the wonderful support I have had from the skippers and crews, my landladies and landlords who have accommodated the apprentices and all the staff who have worked tirelessly to support me.

"And of course my husband Tony, who was initially involved in the setting up of the training centre, is mostly now retired, but a huge help and support to me.”