Birthday honours in Dacorum sees football boss, libraries chief and policing pillar all recognised

BARNET, ENGLAND - JULY 22: Chris Ramsey, the QPR manager shouts instructions during the pre season friendly match between Queens Park Rangers and Dundee United at The Hive on July 22, 2015 in Barnet, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images) PNL-191106-142708002

Perhaps the best-known recipient was Chris Ramsey, the former Queen’s Park Rangers manager who lives in Berkhamsted.

The 57-year-old, who is currently QPR’s technical director, got an MBE for services to football and diversity in sport.

Mr Ramsey has been a champion for British coaches of black and ethnic minorities, and is highly thought of by the Football Association (FA) at both local and international level.

While he is best known for his time with QPR, Mr Ramsey has also been the FA’s’s regional director of coaching, as well as head coach for the England National under-20 squad when he guiding them to the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship in Nigeria.

>Hertfordshire County Council’s head of libraries and heritage service is also celebrating after being rewarded for his 42 years of dedication to public libraries with a British Empire Medal.

During his career, Andrew Bignell has led a number of major initiatives which have seen the county’s libraries flourish into ‘modern community hubs’. Under his leadership, Hertfordshire Libraries were among the first in the country to have self-service and wi-fi across all sites, as well as helping to develop volunteer-partnered libraries.

He told the Gazette: “I’m rather overwhelmed to be recognised in this way – it really is unexpected.”

>A police stalwart who first joined Herts Police 46 years ago was been made an MBE for his services to policing.

Mick Flavin, review team manager with the Beds, Cambs and Herts major crime unit (MCU), first joined the force as a cadet in 1973, before becoming a regular in 1976.

During his career as an officer he worked in many different uniform and detective roles and joined the major crime unit in 2000.

He retired in 2006 but returned as a member of police staff with the unit where he still works today.

He said: “I feel privileged to have been able to serve for the public over the last four decades and despite the challenges we face in policing I enjoy my job as much now as I did when I began.

“I must thank my colleagues as any result is a team effort.

“I must also pay tribute to my family for their unwavering support, I wouldn’t have my career without them.”