Environmental champion named in Birthday Honours

Shane John Gerard Connolly has been a florist for 20 years

The co-founder of a sustainable floristry campaign, who has advocated for the environmentally friendly use of flowers in weddings and funerals, has been appointed an MBE.

Shane John Gerard Connolly, who helped set up the Sustainable Church Flowers Movement, has been a florist for 20 years and provided displays for the King's wedding and coronation, among other events.

The 62-year-old from Hereford said the appointment had left him feeling "old but incredibly fortunate".

Cricketer Steven Michael Davies, farmer Geoffrey Sansome and theatre director Rufus Norris have also been appointed MBEs.

Mr Connolly said it was a pleasant surprise to be recognised for services to sustainable floristry.

"You don't do anything thinking that you're going to get acknowledgement, so it was very strange because I never expected it," he said.

"I've been doing this since 1989 and the real problem in the flower industry is that it is very heavily dependent on non environmentally friendly flowers that are imported from halfway around the world.

"The way they're arranged in things like floral foam, which is a non biodegradable microplastic and that is also a problem."

He has spent his career trying to "rekindle people's interest in seasonal British grown flowers".

His work has been showcased at events for the Royal Family several times, an opportunity he is grateful for.

"I've been incredibly lucky that I've been commissioned by the now King and the now Queen to do their wedding in 2005, to do the Prince and Princess of Wales's wedding in 2011 and to do the flowers for the coronation."

Geoffrey Sansome, from Worcester, has been appointed an MBE for his services to farming and the voluntary Sector.

The 64-year-old has recently retired from Natural England after 42 years of advising and helping farmers.

"I've got my own satisfaction through the last 40 years from helping farmers and particularly, helping farmers respond to change," Mr Sansome said.

He has now turned his efforts to supporting Ukrainian refugees in Worcestershire, having personally hosted a family and helped many others find homes in the county.

He said the King's Birthday Honour gave him the opportunity to reflect on the organisations he had worked with.

"My career flashed before my eyes quite a bit, thinking what had led to this," he said.

"I've worked with great teams who will hopefully share some of this recognition.

"I don't see this as individual effort I see it as a recognition for some great organisations I've worked for," he said.

Other honours recipients with connections to Worcestershire include:

• Steven Michael Davies, the former England and Worcestershire cricketer is appointed an MBE for services to sport. Born in Bromsgrove, his career spanned 20 years, and in 2011 he became the first professional cricketer to come out openly as gay.

• Rufus Norris, the former director of the National Theatre is appointed an MBE for services to theatre. Mr Norris attended Kidderminster College of Further Education and North Bromsgrove High School.