King's Birthday Honours 2023: MBE for Cambridgeshire birth-mum campaigner

Angela Frazer-Wicks said she could finally tell one of her sons the King had given mum a medal

A woman who strives to keep families together after her own children were taken into care has been appointed MBE in the King's Birthday Honours.

Angela Frazer-Wicks, 48, from Wisbech, in Cambridgeshire, has been recognised for services to children and families.

She is chair of the trustees of Family Rights Group, which supports families and children to stay together.

The honour was "phenomenal", she said, and she could now tell her son "mum's getting a medal off the king".

Ms Frazer-Wicks's two sons - one aged five and one 14 months - were taken into care in 2004 and put up for adoption because of abuse she had suffered, she said.

In 2021 she told her story to BBC Radio Four's Four Thought, explaining how after more than 16 years she was finally able to talk once again to her oldest son, who now lives abroad.

In the interim years, she became a voice for others in similar situations and co-chairs the Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) Learning and Improvement Board, among other work.

"This time 19 years ago I was preparing to say goodbye [to my children] and I genuinely didn't know how I was going to live past that point," Ms Frazer-Wicks said.

"And here I am all these years later - my children are OK, I'm OK and I'm somehow getting a medal for services to children and families.

"It's mind-blowing, it's utterly bonkers, and I don't think I've ever been quite so proud."

'Village agony aunt'

Patricia Covington said she cried when she received notification of her honour

Patricia Covington describes herself as "a bit like an agony aunt" to her village.

The 71-year-old, who ran the Post Office for 36 years has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to the community in Steeple Morden, Cambridgeshire.

The mum of three, who has four grandchildren, said: "I cried when I opened the letter. I was just thinking - the Cabinet Office? But it's wonderful.

"I've been involved in virtually everything in the village from the shop to the playgroup, youth club and harvest festivals - but it's never about one person - no-one ever does this on their own," Mrs Covington said.

With her help, the Post Office became a hub for the community and she spearheaded support groups for those in need during the coronavirus pandemic.

She has also been active in the local branch of the Royal British Legion for decades, with her hand-crocheted poppies proving particularly popular.

During the pandemic her handmade poppy fund Covid facemasks raised more than £2,000.

'An award to them all'

Alan Stubbs has devoted his working life to conservation

Alan Stubbs, 83, began his career in geological conservation in 1962 and it has now been crowned with an MBE for services to invertebrate conservation.

He was a trustee of Peterborough-based charity Buglife for many years and served as its chairman, before stepping down to be a volunteer and vice-president.

Buglife is an organisation "devoted to the conservation of all invertebrates".

"It is not every day that an envelope arrives from the Cabinet Office, indeed marked 'in strict confidence'," Mr Stubbs said.

"It seems rather iniquitous that the award is made to one individual when the success of an organisation is dependent on the culture, energy and skills of everyone in Buglife - staff, trustees, volunteers and supporters."

He added: "I wish the MBE to be regarded as an award to them all."

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