THREE Romsey people have been awarded some of the most prestigious honours in the Queen's New Year Honour list.

Christine Chisholm, 73, became an MBE for services to philanthropy and charitable causes.

In the early 1980s she got involved with the Across Trust, which provides pilgrimages to Lourdes and Rome for the sick and disabled.

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Later she became a founder trustee of the Jumbulance Travel Trust. Her fundraising activities helped provide specialist vehicles for a facility that runs holidays for people with disabilities or life-limiting illnesses.

Janet Belinda Lefley, former community manager at the The Romsey School, also became an MBE for services to education.

In a statement the school said: "On behalf of everyone at The Romsey School and the Romsey Community Team, we would like to congratulate Jan on achieving this honour, it is thoroughly deserved. Jan who took retirement in the Summer of 2021 was the school’s community lead for many years and has been recognised for her work in the community, which included winning the national Community School of the Year Award in consecutive years."

Jonathan de Sausmarez, executive leader of Gateway Multi-Academy Trust, said: “Jan has devoted her life to helping others and everything she has done has been with a personal passion to give every child and family a fair start in life. There have been so many projects over the years and this award is a way for our country, county and community, to say a big thank you.”

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Michael Charles Sutton received a BEM for services to emergency response in Hampshire, particularly during Covid-19.

The award was in recognition of his voluntary services to distribute emergency supplies of Personal Protective Equipment to health and social care locations.

Mike and other members of Hampshire & Berkshire 4x4 Response Team volunteered alongside two other charities - ServeOn and Raynet - to set up an emergency PPE warehouse and provide logistic support to Hampshire Local Resilience Forum.

Mike managed the HB4x4R team and was key in setting up distribution channels to ensure that vital equipment was made available to those who needed it most. As a former vice-chair and trustee of Hampshire and Berkshire 4x4 Response Team, he has experience of stepping up when he is needed.

He said: “During the crises to date we have deployed over 70 responders who have covered more than 60,000 miles completing 2,232 deliveries of PPE and vaccines. They are undoubtedly the best bunch of volunteers that I have ever had the privilege of working with – they should be very proud.”

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Mike and the team also had a hand in ensuring our Christmas and New Year plans for 2020 weren’t quite as hampered as they might have been.

He said: “We were also involved with administering swab tests to lorry drivers at Portsmouth International Port and spent three months testing Hampshire Constabulary front line and back office staff – it was quite a year!”

Playing a part in saving lives is nothing new for Mike. With over 30 years' experience in the fire industry, Mike works in Business Development at Havant-based Apollo Fire Detectors.

Mike said: “Without support from employers like Apollo and all the charities that got involved, we would have struggled with a lack of volunteers at the most critical time.

“Obviously, I accepted the honour with enormous pride. Although I’m named as the beneficiary, this is for every member of the Hampshire and Berkshire 4x4 Response team who gave their time to this amazing charity since the start of the very first lockdown in April 2020.”