King's birthday honours: Sellafield plant worker appointed MBE

Lynn Willis, from Whitehaven, has been appointed MBE

A woman who helped keep Sellafield "safe and secure" during the pandemic is among those honoured by the King.

Lynn Willis, from Whitehaven, has been appointed a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in King Charles III's first birthday honours.

Cumbria Police's chief constable and founders of Sunderland's Red Sky Foundation also received recognition.

Ms Willis, who ran the UK's first non-NHS Covid test facility, said she was "completely blown away" with the award.

"To be on the King's list for the first time since the Coronation makes it even more special", the nuclear site's worker of more than 30 years said.

She had been awarded for her work in setting up a team which tested workers, their families and those in the supply chain in May 2020.

It was the first test and trace facility outside of a medical environment, and meant the nuclear power plant could continue to be decommissioned safely.

She said: "Even though it's my name next to the award, in my heart I'm sharing this with all the people I've worked with to deliver the things I have."

'Vital work'

Sellafield chief executive officer Martin Chown said "vital work" had been able to continue through Ms Willis' work.

He added: "Lynn's contribution in helping keep the Sellafield site safe and secure is also part of the vital work done day-in, day-out by every single nuclear professional working at Sellafield."

Among more than a dozen people from the region to be honoured, Cumbria Police chief constable Michelle Skeer has been appointed OBE.

Cockermouth's Gareth Boswell Browning, a beat forester at Forestry England was recognised for his services to forestry and nature recovery has been appointed MBE.

He said he was "blown away by the honour".

"It is such a surprise - I'm still getting used to the idea," he said.

"It's been a real privilege to be able to look after the Ennerdale valley with our partners in Wild Ennerdale. Ennerdale has been a real inspiration to me and I'm humbled by the thought that others think I'm worthy of such an honour."

In Tyne and Wear, Emma Louise Petrucci and Sergio Petrucci, who founded the Red Sky Foundation, which raises awareness of heart problems and campaigns for defibrillators, will also both be made MBEs.