Borough’s heroes and heroines to be honoured by Queen in 2015

Find out about Dacorum’s heroes and heroines with the borough’s list of New Year honours.
Hemel Hempstead’s MBE recipients are Anne McPherson for services to nursing, and director of governance at West Herts College Sheila Selwood for services to education.
Jane Miller OBE (centre) from Berkhamsted, is helping stamp out FGMJane Miller OBE (centre) from Berkhamsted, is helping stamp out FGM
Jane Miller OBE (centre) from Berkhamsted, is helping stamp out FGM

Also in line for an MBE is Dena Tyler, business and community engagement manager at Bovingdon’s HMP The Mount, for services to prisons and prison volunteering.

Hemel Hempstead MP Mike Penning said: “This is wonderful recognition for the services provided by Anne, Sheila and Dena in their respective fields. I send my warmest congratulations to them all.

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“It is a fantastic privilege for them for their years of hard work.”

Tring’s honours go to Ashton West, chief executive of the Motor Insurers Bureau, who has received an OBE for services to road safety, and chair of the Tring Squash and Rackets Club Betty Longhurst who has been awarded a British Empire Medal. Read more about Betty, along with Herts-based mental health clinician and MBE Deborah Bone, who sadly passed away yesterday, here.

In Berkhamsted, Susan Langley’s services to women in business were recognised with an OBE, while Jane Miller’s services to development in Africa and work to help end the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) have also earned her an OBE.

Jane works for the Department for International Development and has helped raise the profile of FGM in the UK and across the world, which puts 3million girls in Africa alone at risk every year and affects 125 million women worldwide.

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She has also lived and worked in Nigeria helping to combat HIV, control polio, improve the health system as well as improve the education of girls.

Jane also had a role in the passing of a Health Bill by the Nigerian Government this month that will provide primary health care to millions of poor women and children in the country, funded by the Nigerian Government.

She said: “I feel incredibly honoured to have been included in this New Year’s Honours list.

“When I joined the Department for International Development 20 years ago, I don’t think I could have imagined the amazing career that was ahead of me.

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“I am especially proud of the work I have been part of over the past three years toward ending FGM.

“It is wonderful hearing that change is happening – and the practice is being abandoned and girl’s lives are being changed for ever.”

Journalist and presenter Esther Rantzen, who was born in Berkhamstedand went on to be the rounder of Childline, has also been made a dame with a CBE in the Queen’s honours for 2015.