11 people named in New Year's Honours list for their admirable work in or around Northampton

A number of people who conduct admirable work in and around Northampton have been named on the New Year’s Honours list.

From a parish councillor who is described as a “stalwart” of the community, to someone who has dedicated years of their life to charity work, these individuals deserve to be celebrated.

Here is a list of all 11 people who have been awarded a BEM, OBE or MBE, and why they have been awarded the honour.

Derek John Bland BEM

The 79-year-old has been awarded an BEM for services to the community in Northamptonshire.

Since moving to Church and Chapel Brompton in 1971, he has served his community unstintingly, with 40 years on the Parish Council during which time he served as chair for several years, and as a stalwart member of the church choir.

He was the voluntary editor of the village newsletter for 50 years and over the years, he has generated more than £13,000 of income for St Botolph’s Church in Church Brampton.

Under Derek’s tenure as editor the newsletter has grown to now covers more than 935 homes. It has also united four villages and has become a highly valued community resource.

James David Boyes MBE

The 23-year-old from Northampton who is a Team UK Gold Medal Winner in WorldSkills UK, has been awarded an MBE for services to Further Education.

In Autumn 2022 he was crowned the best skilled cabinet maker in the world, winning a gold medal in the cabinet making competition at the WorldSkills Special Edition 2022.

During the Covid-19 pandemic he continued training in isolation in his garage, training on weekends and evenings.

He has set the benchmark for young people all over the world in cabinet making, demonstrating the skills young people, employers and the economy need to succeed both now and in the future.

Since winning the gold medal, he has dedicated his spare time to inspiring the next generation of young people toward technical education and apprenticeship pathways, and to fulfil their ambitions and potential.

He has provided talks at his old college, delivered training sessions ahead of this year’s regional skills competition, and travelled to Edinburgh to inspire and encourage young people in the grip of skills competition.

Janis Lindy James MBE

The 62-year-old from Northampton has been awarded an MBE for services to Children's Road Safety.

Janis is the founder of the Good Egg Child Safety Campaign, which was born in 2001 after she read an article in a paper about the incorrect fitment of car seats for children.

Moved by the loss of life as a result and identifying the gap in fixing the problem she took it upon herself to become educated on the issue, creating a Community Interest Company (CIC) that is now run UK-wide and known globally in 2015.

Recognition by the Government has already acknowledged the contribution she and her campaign has made to the 55 perecnt reduction in child fatalities from 2013.

A national child car seat safety training programme has been launched for retail, industry, and health professionals.

Child safety videos are reaching over five million social media users. Since 2002, over one million printed Good Egg Guides have been given to families. More than 5,000 young drivers have attended her workshops on safer driving.

Janis has also led the domestic violence campaign, safer travel, young drivers, medicine waste, antibiotic use, and the award-winning Child Seat Safety campaign.

Eric Malcomson MBE

The 81-year-old from Towcester has been awarded an MBE for services to the community in Tove Valley.

Eric is founder and chair, of Tove Valley Broadband, which was set up when he realised that rural internet access was woefully far behind that of urban communities. He then set about giving the upper Tove Valley area of South Northamptonshire internet access far superior to anything else available.

His ongoing commitment over the past 20 years has meant that three times he has reinvented the way the Tove Valley Broadband Association has given the local area internet access.

First through direct satellite connection, then village-to-village and house to house Wi-Fi, and finally to a fibre optic network.

As the entire country battled the Covid-19 pandemic, the community would have been lost without his innovation and support.

He continues to actively engage with residents in the village giving advice, guidance, and motivation to other volunteers as they lay fibre optic cables before he splices some more connections and allows even more individual properties access to the Tove Valley Broadband fibre optic network.

Glennis Edith Hooper MBE

The 69-year-old from Wellingborough, is the founder of well-known Northamptonshire charity, Crazy Hats.

She has been awarded an MBE for Charitable Services to People with Breast Cancer.

What started as a one-time event in Northampton has now grown into a widespread movement, raising over £3 million to date.

She led the charge for the charity's fundraising activities and Crazy Hats provided financial support for all breast cancer support stages in Northamptonshire, including the provision of specialised equipment for hospitals throughout the region.

Over the 20 years of the Crazy Hats Breast Cancer Appeals, she successfully raised over £3.5 million until its final donation in December 2021.

Thanks to her dedication, a new care centre was established in Northampton for cancer patients in 2022. The centre offers additional support such as access to therapy and craft rooms, as well as the opportunity to connect with fellow sufferers.

Her final act of generosity was a donation of £390,000 to Kettering General Hospital. This helped to build a new waiting lounge in the hospital's breast unit and transformed the gardens and reception area.

Others from Northampton and Northamptonshire who have been named in the New Year’s Honours List

Christian Edward Johnston Horner has been awarded an OBE. The Red Bull Racing team principal and CEO lives in West Northamptonshire.

Jonathon Jason Kingsley has been awarded an OBE. He is the co-founder, CEO and creative director of Rebellion, which is a British video game developer. Jonathon has been awarded for his services to the creative industries.

Paul Michael Heygate has been awarded anOBE.He is the joint managing director of Heygate Group. based in Bugbrooke. Paul has been named in the list for his services to the food industry and to charity.

Julian Richmond-Watson has been awarded an OBE. He is the chair for the Thoroughbred Breeders Association. Julian has been give the award for his services to the British Horseracing Industry.

Roberta Vivian Lindsay Blyth has been awarded an BEM for her services to the community in Roade.

Robert Hicks from Yardley Hastings is the surgical team lead for charity Hernia International Carpenter and Ghana Healthcare Partners. He is also a consultant surgeon at Northampton General Hospital. Robert has been awarded a MBE for his services to health in Northern Ghana.