Devon's community heroes honoured

Barbara Gardner (fourth from left) was appointed MBE for services to animal welfare

People from Devon have received recognition in the King's 2025 New Year Honours list.

Ten people across the county have been honoured for a variety of reasons, such as services to drama, science and public health as well as for helping people with disabilities.

Barbara Lesley Gardner, founder and CEO of Animals Interfaith Alliance (AIA), was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to animal welfare.

Since 2014, Ms Gardner has been a "unifying force" amongst religious communities, bringing together 17 faith-based animal advocacy organisations to educate, press for animal protection, and promote social justice.

She said: "I'm deeply honoured and humbled to have received an MBE for services to animal welfare.

"This is a wonderful recognition of animal welfare and of all the devoted people who work tirelessly to promote it."

Ken and Sarah White have been recognised for their charity work

Ken and Sarah White have each been honoured with the British Empire Medal (BEM) in recognition of their work setting up the charity Supershoes.

The charity provides customised gifts for children and young people who have cancer and has about 250 volunteers.

Ms White said the idea came when they read a story about a child in a local newspaper and "just wanted to do something to help him and his family".

Mr White added: "It [being appointed] doesn't happen without everybody else around us.

"We accept it on behalf of the Supershoes community."

Lynne Hookings was appointed MBE for her volunteering services

Lynne Hookings was appointed MBE for her volunteering services in Torquay, including her work at Torbay Hospital.

She said: "I had use of the hospital and I wanted to give something back and I've been a governor for nine years maximum term".

Ms Hookings said she was delighted to find out she had been honoured.

'Bittersweet'

Katherine Friedrich, founder of People Assisting Torbay's Homeless (PATH), told BBC Radio Devon her BEM was "bittersweet".

PATH helps people who are homeless in the Torbay area of Devon and has been running for almost ten years.

Ms Friedrich said: "It's bittersweet I'm not going to lie.

"The work we do here in a fairer world, it shouldn't be. What we're doing day in day out is helping people who are very vulnerable who have had very incredibly sad stories.

"To get an award for doing something that is quite possibly the right thing to do, I don't know, it's a bittersweet thing. I'm accepting it on behalf of every single person who has supported PATH."

Other recipients

Other honours recipients from Devon include:

• Carey Mulligan, actor, appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to drama (Exeter)

• Dr Matthew Craig Hort, principal fellow, atmospheric dispersion and air quality at the Met Office, appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to atmospheric dispersion science and emergency response (Exeter)

• Steven John Wearne, director of global affairs, Food Standards Agency and chair of Codex appointed OBE for services to public health protection and to international food safety (Torquay)

• Christopher Derrick Fulford, trustee and volunteer at the Northam Care Trust, appointed MBE for services to people with disabilities in north Devon (Bideford)

• Barbara Lesley Gardner, founder and chief executive officer of Animals Interfaith Alliance, and trustee of RSPCA appointed MBE for services to animal welfare

• Katherine Friedrich, founder of People Assisting Torbay's Homeless, appointed BEM for services to tackling homelessness in Torbay (Paignton)

• Rosemary Howell Dl, appointed BEM for services to girlguiding and the community in Devon (Ivybridge)

• Kenneth and Sarah Louise White, co-founders of Supershoes, appointed BEM for services to children and young people with paediatric cancer (Torrington)

• Marlyn (Lynne) Catherine Hookings, appointed MBE for services to the community in Torquay and Torquay Hospital League of Friends (Torquay)