The extraordinary achievements of several residents in Warwickshire have been recognised in formal presentations and events by the Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire, Tim Cox.
The extraordinary achievements of several residents in Warwickshire have been recognised in formal presentations and events by the Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire, Tim Cox.
On Wednesday 30 October, four residents received either a British Empire Medal (BEM) or Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) by going ‘above and beyond’ to change the world around them for the better.
These prestigious awards mark the exceptional contributions and service of people from across the UK. They aim to recognise people who have made achievements in public life, committed themselves to serving and helping the UK, and who make life better for others by being outstanding at what they do.
The four awards were presented to the following Warwickshire residents:
George Atkinson and Guiletta Galli–Atkinson from Rugby each received a BEM, for services to road safety. Husband and wife George and Guiletta established The Livia Awards in memory of their daughter, Livia, who was killed in 1998 on her way home from school by a driver who mounted the pavement. The Awards, now in their 25th year, are regarded as one of the most important events in the Parliamentary Road Safety calendar. George and Guiletta have also campaigned for legal reform in respect of sentencing for those who kill and maim whilst driving, and have garnered strong political and institutional support, as well as delivered multiple initiatives to educate young people about road safety.
Janet Nelson from Stratford-upon-Avon received a BEM, for services to education. Janet has been a volunteer at Kineton Primary School in Warwick for over 40 years, providing her time and effort to ensure that pupils developed into safe, healthy, and responsible citizens. More recently as a governor she was chair of the premises committee supporting the school with health and safety inspections, and was involved in financial decisions related to maintenance of the premises.
Graham Fulford from Warwickshire received an MBE, for services to prostate cancer awareness and early diagnosis. Graham first established The Graham Fulford Charitable Trust in 2004, with the primary aim to provide Prostate Specific Antigen testing to men. His work has improved and saved lives all over the UK, highlighting the importance of early detection and prostate health awareness.
Cllr Heather Timms, Portfolio Holder for Environment, Climate & Culture, said:
“These award recipients have all demonstrated great dedication in making a positive difference to their local communities and beyond, and their commitment is truly inspiring. I congratulate them all on achieving these prestigious awards and getting the recognition they very much deserve.”
Details on how to nominate someone for an honour or award can be found at https://www.gov.uk/honours
On 30 October evening, the Lord Lieutenant Tim Cox, three Deputy Lieutenants, the Leader of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, Cllr Chris Watkins, and the Deputy Mayor of Nuneaton and Bedworth, Cllr Bhim Saru, all attended a Halloween-themed youth session hosted by Nuneaton-based charity Aspire in Arts.
Aspire in Arts work in Nuneaton to provide positive and creative activities for young people aged 8-25 years, and they also run a youth centre at Gallery Common, which has been going for over 10 years.
The delegation met with the Director of Aspire in Arts, Kirsty Lowrie, and Amina Mamoojee, who took the group on a tour of the building which the charity has recently taken over in Abbey Street in Nuneaton, and were able to chat with many of the young people who benefit from the charity’s activities.
The Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire, Tim Cox, said:
"The past couple of weeks have been a great opportunity to meet some extraordinary residents from across the county and celebrate their selfless approaches in going above and beyond for others.
“There are many people in Warwickshire who make outstanding contributions but unfortunately go unnoticed. If you know of someone that deserves to be recognised, then I encourage you to consider nominating them for an honour or award so they too can be officially acknowledged and celebrated for their remarkable achievements."
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