Published: Thursday, 31st December, 2009 10:19am

Local heroes hailed by Queen in New Year honours

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TILEHURST'S Kay Bews, chief executive of family welfare organisation Home-Start UK, who joined it as the Reading area co-ordinator 22 years ago, is made an OBE in the New Year honours for services to children and families.

There is also an OBE for Reading School old boy Ross Brawn, world champion motor racing boss, and an MBE for Claire Taylor, star of England's all-conquering women's cricket team, who went to both Abbey and Kendrick schools and lives in Winnersh.

Mortimer's Alan Beavis, 69, who set up Scouting Enterprise Limited, gets an OBE for services to families and children, while there are MBEs for Ann Parr, 62, community care development manager of Age Concern, Woodley, and Roderick Symonds, 77, chairman of governors at Coley's St Mary's and All Saints Primary School

In Newbury there are MBEs for 94-year-old Nora Schneider, still treasurer of Newbury District Fields Club, a member of the PCT committee and a user-director of Readibus, for services to the Newbury community, and John Tyzack, chairman of governors at Enborne Church of England Primary School and Willow Primary School for voluntary service to education.

Goring's Mike Martin, who recently stepped down as director of Reading Voluntary Action after 20 years, is also appointed MBE.

The top Berkshire honours went to the Right Rev David Conner, Dean of Windsor, who is made a Knight Commander of the Victorian Order, and Marcia Twelftree, former head of Charters School at Ascot, who becomes a Dame.

Roger Smith, former clerk of works for the Crown Estate, Windsor, and Peter Taylor, fire safety manager at Windsor Castle are made members of the Victorian Order.

Wokingham's Neil Flint. deputy director, New Academies Division, Department for Children, Schools and Families, is made a CBE, and an OBE goes to Sunningdale's Peter Phillipson, chairman of Merlin Entertainments Group, which owns Legoland, Windsor, for services to the leisure industry.

MBEs also go to Maidenhead's Alan Cassidy for services to aerobatics and charity; Wokingham's Anne King, director of the Building Services Research and Information Association, for services to industry; Valerie O'Riordan, for services to the community in Berkshire; and Bracknell's Michael Weeding, a senior officer with the international division of HM Revenue and Customs.

- For more details, interviews and pictures see today's New Year Chronicle.