OBE honour for Jason Kenny (From This Is Lancashire)

OBE honour for Jason Kenny

9:52am Saturday 29th December 2012 in News

OLYMPIC cyclist Jason Kenny has topped off his brilliant sporting year with official recognition from The Queen.

Jason, who already has an MBE following his performance at the Beijing Olympics, will be heading for Buckingham Palace after it was announced he will receive an OBE in the 2013 New Year’s honours.

Alongside him will be girlfriend and fellow Olympic cyclist Laura Trott, who also receives an OBE.

The golden couple both won two gold medals at the London 2012 Olympics.

Jason said: "I'm absolutely thrilled to receive this honour.

It's an amazing way to end a brilliant year for me personally, for British Cycling and for Team GB.”

The 24-year-old is the bestknown of the Bolton recipients this year, but honours have also gone to several people for their work in the community, including Canon Paul Denby for services to the community, Girl Guiding stalwart, 79-year-old Elizabeth Higham, and consultant physician Dr Andrew Wardman, who works for Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust and lives in Bolton.

Each will receive an MBE.

Manchester councillor Paul Murphy, who is chairman of the Greater Manchester Police Authority is also made an OBE Paul Denby, who retired as sub-dean of Manchester Cathedral five years ago, was particularly surprised when he received a letter saying he was to be given an MBE.

In his current role as clerk in the office of the Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester’s office, Mr Denby is responsible for helping arrange royal visits to the area and helping people to put forward nominations for honours.

The 65-year-old said: “You never expect to get one yourself. I have a happy life. It is a great delight just when what you have done and enjoy doing is regarded as being worthwhile by others.

“It does feel very strange. I spend my life getting these things for other people. I don’t really know what happens now.”

Before becoming ordained in 1976, Mr Denby worked as an electronics engineer and parish priest for many years.

He has served on school governing bodies, worked for the Samaritans, raised money for charities including the Francis House hospice and taught at Chethams school of music. In 2007, after serving as county chaplain for the St John Ambulance in Greater Manchester, he was appointed county chairman — a position he held until last year.

Five years ago he also began working at the Lieutenancy office and in 2009 he became a justice of the peace at Bury magistrates court and county chaplain to the Royal British Legion.

Mr Denby, of Cranberry Drive, Bolton, took on the role of Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester last year. He is married to Julie and has three children and three grandchildren.

He has met the Queen on several occasions.

Mr Denby said: “She is a very sweet and remarkable person.”

After a lifetime devoted to Guiding, Elizabeth Higham was amazed when she received a letter telling her she had been nominated to receive an MBE.

Miss Higham, known as Betty to her friends, joined the Brownies at St John’s Church, Farnworth, aged seven.

She left the Guides when she was aged 14, but become a leader of the 3rd Farnworth Guide Company six years later. It was a role she was to stay in for the next 45 years.

She rose through the ranks, becoming district, division and county commissioner before spending 10 years a county president.

Retired from an official role, Miss Higham still enjoys meeting up with her many Guiding friends and is a member of the Farnworth division Trefoil Guild. I have loved being involved in the guides from the start,”

said Miss Higham, who still lives in Farnworth.

Miss Higham, who worked in the treasurers departments at Bolton Council and Salford University before her retirement, has devoted all her spare time to the Guides, including taking girls on camping trips abroad.

Dr Andrew Wardman, from Heaton, works as a consultant physician at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan with a special interest in respiratory medicine and says finding out he is to be awarded an MBE came as a surprise. He added: “I feel very privileged and touched. I am coming to the end of my career in medicine and it is a nice feeling to be recognised.”

Dr Wardman, aged 60, is now semi-retired after starting work in Wigan almost 25 years ago. He is the Trust’s director of medical education and was previously the Royal College of Physicians’ regional advisor. His wife Lyn is a GP in Heaton.