Seven from Devon named in King's honours list

Paul Whiteley MBE has raised thousands of pounds for cancer charities

An event organiser who has raised thousand of pounds for cancer charities, and the founder of a food aid network are among those from Devon on the King's Birthday Honours List.

Paul Whiteley from Plymouth receives an MBE for his work as co-chair of the city's Cancer Research Relay for Life event.

Louise Kelley has been recognised with an MBE for her role as food insecurity lead with Plymouth City Council, supporting vulnerable people and disadvantaged families.

Michael Williams from Exeter has also been awarded an MBE for his work in conservation and natural flood management, including the Lower Otter Restoration Project.

Mr Whiteley, 50, has so far raised £382,000 for Cancer Research through the Relay for Life.

His involvement began in 2016 when a team member was diagnosed with breast cancer.

He set up and ran a team as part of the relay and now organises the event which attracts more than 2,000 participants.

He said his MBE, awarded for services to the community, has come as "a big shock", but added he has mixed emotions.

"In 1995, in the Queen's birthday honours, my mother got an MBE, so there's a connection there.

"She passed away from cancer in 2017 so it's brought up a lot of good and not so good memories, but yeah, I'm over the moon."

Louise Kelley MBE says she loves her job

Ms Kelley, 52, receives an MBE for her services to health and wellbeing and said the honour came as a surprise.

"The letter was quite official, I thought I had got a parking fine or something, then when you open it up, you read it, you do a double take, you read it again and wonder if someone is making a prank on you."

Ms Kelley headed up Plymouth City Council's Food Insecurity team during the Covid pandemic, and created the charity Food Aid Network.

Her work connected voluntary and community organisations that existed in the city, and she helped set up walk-in food banks for hundreds of families.

In 2014, Ms Kelley coordinated the city’s first free targeted Holiday Hunger Programme as part of Plymouth’s Fairness Commission Report.

The programme was a huge success and grew from a single club to 10.

"It's just so nice to be recognised but basically, I just love my job and the opportunity it gives me to make a difference," she said.

Michael Williams MBE is described as the "driving force" behind the river Otter project

Mr Williams from Exeter said he was "delighted and very surprised" with his MBE appointment for conservation work.

Mr Williams, 69, is described as the "driving force" behind the project to enhance the lower reaches of the River Otter through a habitat creation project.

He said he is "pleased work for the environment has been recognised", and thanked his whole team.

Four British Empire Medals were also conferred on recipients in Devon:

• Pamela Doel, 77, from Yelverton, for services to charity and to young people, through her fundraising work for the NSPCC

• Neil Parsons, 81, for services to sport, as a boxing coach in Exmouth

• Anne Radcliffe, 87, for services to the community in Otterton

• Jonathan Turner, 72, from Braunton, for services to bird conservation, through his work ringing birds and providing conservation data.