Yahoo News King's Birthday Honours 2024: Devon recipients recognised for their achievements
The King’s Birthday Honours list has seen Devon residents recognised for a wide variety of achievements through their work, volunteering or contributions made to their local communities. Among the recipients is the University of Plymouth’s vice-chancellor professor Judith Petts who has recently overseen the university’s return to profit and is due to retire in September.
This year has marked her ninth year at the university and her 45th year in higher education. She has been bestowed a Dame for services to higher Education and to sustainability.
Mark Dowie, of Kingsbridge, who is chief executive of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and has been awarded a CBE for services to maritime safety. Among those to have received an OBE is Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust. She has been honoured for services to education.
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She said: “I am overwhelmed but delighted to receive this honour. I continue to believe fiercely in the role education has to play in transforming young people’s futures, no matter what their background.
"I will maintain an unrelenting focus on making our schools the best they can be, as I want every child to be able to go to their local school and receive an excellent education. I feel beyond grateful to serve the communities and young people across our schools and am inspired every day by the wonderful people I get to work alongside.
“School should be a gateway to children living lives full of opportunity, especially for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is an honour in itself to play such a central role in the education of Devon’s children.”
Moira began her career as a history teacher at Feltham Community College in West London. In 2007, she moved to the south west and became deputy headteacher at St James School in Exeter and later became headteacher in 2011.
Under her leadership, St James transformed from one of the lowest-performing schools in the country to one of the top-performing schools in Devon. In 2013, she became the founding CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust and under leadership, the trust says it has consistently improved the performance of its schools.
The selection process for the OBE involves a special committee whose decisions are reviewed by the prime minister and finally approved by the King. OBEs are awarded to individuals who have made significant contributions in their field.
The full list of Devon recipients:
Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE)
Professor Judith Irene Petts CBE, Vice-Chancellor, University of Plymouth, for services to Higher Education and to Sustainability. (Seaton, Devon)
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
Mark Peter Louden Dowie, Chief Executive, Royal National Lifeboat Institution, for services to Maritime Safety. (Kingsbridge, Devon)
Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Carol Boys, Chief Executive Officer, Down's Syndrome Association, for services to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and to Research. (Newton Abbott, Devon)
Moira Marder DL, Chief Executive Officer, Ted Wragg Trust. For services to Education. (Newton Abbott, Devon)
Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Professor Angus Atkinson, Senior Marine Ecologist, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, for services to Polar Marine Research and Conservation. (Plymouth, Devon)
Louise Kelley, Holiday and Food Insecurity Lead, Plymouth Council, Devon, for services to Health and Wellbeing. (Ivybridge, Devon)
Alexander Peter Walmsley, Chair of Trustees, The First Federation Trust, Newton Abbot, Devon, for services to Education. (Newton Abbot, Devon)
Paul James Whiteley, for services to the community in Plymouth, Devon. (Plymouth, Devon)
Michael Charles Williams, Wetland Habitat Restoration Specialist, Environment Agency, for services to Conservation and to Natural Flood Management. (Exeter, Devon)
Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)
Pamela Jean Doel (Sam Doel), Volunteer, NSPCC, for services to Charity and to Young People. (Yelverton, Devon)
Neil George Parsons, Boxing Coach, for services to Sport. (Exmouth, Devon)
Anne Elizabeth Radcliffe, for services to the community in Otterton, Devon. (Budleigh Salterton, Devon)
Jonathan Peter Turner, member and Bird Ringer, British Trust for Ornithology, for services to Bird Conservation. (Braunton, Devon)
