A number of Eden people have received national recognition for their work after they were named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
The honours system gives national recognition to people who have given exceptional service in public and community life and are committed to making a difference to those around them.
Recently retired judge Jacqueline Findlay, of Appleby, was made an officer of the order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to the administration of justice.
Jacqueline was appointed a district tribunal judge in 1999 and served initially in the North West region before transferring to serve in Glasgow and the Western Isles.
In 2012 she was appointed regional tribunal judge for the North East region, covering an area from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Sheffield.
Jacqueline said: “I am hugely honoured by the award and deeply conscious of the recognition due to my dedicated judicial colleagues and the hard working administrative teams who worked with me so enthusiastically.”
Jacqueline’s son, MacMillan, is a dairy farmer and her daughter, Freya, works in the Royal Household.
Receiving an MBE was Philippa Groves, of Millhouse near Hesket-new-Market, for her services to the community in Cumbria particularly during COVID-19.
Mrs Groves is village agent for the Northern Fells Group which is a community charity serving 3,700 residents in Ireby and Uldale, Boltons, Westward and Rosley, Sebergham and Welton, Caldbeck, Castle Sowerby and Mungrisdale.
During the COVID-19 outbreak the Northern Fells Group has helped support the community in numerous ways with all village agents contactable all day, every day since the pandemic started.
A 66-year-old mother of three, Mrs Groves said she was “amazed, surprised delighted and slightly baffled to have been given such an award.”
Further work for the Cumbrian community has included Mrs Groves being a community first responder for the North West Ambulance Service for over 13 years during which time she was a team leader, field trainer and headstart co-ordinator for North Cumbria.
She set up her own charity — Eden Lifeline Project‚ to encourage local supporters to put public access defibrillators into rural areas and with the help of her sons designed and built the prototype for a new defibrillator cabinet which are now used throughout the UK.
She has done further fundraising for numerous groups including Cerebral Palsy, the Millhouse Flood Action Group and BEEP doctors.
Medallist of the Order of the British Empire awards have gone to two Eden figures who have volunteered their time to the community in different ways.
Dr John Danks, who lives at Greystoke, was awarded the honour for voluntary service to young people and to the community in Eden.
Dr Danks became assistant group scout leader of the 1st Petteril Vale Scouts in 2006 and is currently running the Beavers section for children aged six to eight years old.
Dr Danks and his wife Gill moved to Eden from Coventry after he retired as a university lecturer in mechanical engineering at Coventry University.
The award for his work with the scouting group extends further than that in Eden, he having spent 42 years as a scout leader in the West Midlands.
A scout himself as a child, Dr Danks became a leader when he was 19 years old and has led cubs and scouts and been a district commissioner.
“I’m really, really pleased to have got the award, I’m delighted and really thankful to the people who have sorted it out for me, it’s really kind of them.
“There are so many people in scouting who are equally worthy and I hope I represent them in getting the award,” he said.
Also receiving a BEM was former Eden district councillor Malcolm Temple, of Penrith, for his services to local government in Cumbria.
Malcolm, aged 85, served as a councillor representing the Penrith South ward for 12 years up to 2019. During that time he was armed forces champion with the council — a nod to his background as a former sergeant with the Scots Guards regiment. He also served with Cumbria Constabulary as a dog handler and trainer.
He continues to be vice president of the Scots Guards Association Carlisle, Dumfries and Galloway branch and is a member of Penrith Lions — a club he has volunteered with for 40 years.
During his time as a district councillor Malcolm worked as an outreach worker for armed forces veterans in Cumbria and with veterans’ charities.
He also played an active role in helping residents in Eamont Bridge when the village was badly flooded in 2015.
Malcolm said he was “absolutely over the moon” to be on the honours list and thanked his wife Vera for her support throughout his council and charity work.
He also thanked former council colleagues Sid Simpson and Gordon Nicolson for being a great help during his time on the council and council staff who he said he had enjoyed working with.
Claire Hensman, HM Lord-Lieutenant for Cumbria, said: “I would like to congratulate all those who have received an honour. Receiving an honour is a huge achievement and I am pleased to see so many Cumbrians in this expanded list.
“I would encourage people to think about someone that they know who always goes the extra mile for others and who has made a special contribution to their community or to their area of work over the years.
“Anyone can nominate a person for an honour and I am very keen for people who have given exceptional service to the community to receive the recognition they deserve.
“These awards are special and for me they are the highest possible recognition of a job well done.”
