Queen's Birthday Honours: Newquay man honoured for services

Gareth Horner has been an integral part of the Newquay crew since joining in 1974

A lifeboat operations manager has been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

Fishmonger Gareth Horner, 65, from Newquay, Cornwall, has been appointed MBE for services to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

He is among a number of Cornish people who have been recognised.

Mr Horner has been an "integral part" of the Newquay crew since joining in 1974 and during his service the station has saved more than 100 lives.

Newquay is one of the RNLI's busiest inshore lifeboat stations, averaging 76 service calls a year.

Newquay is one of the RNLI's busiest inshore lifeboat stations, averaging 76 service calls a year

During the Covid-19 pandemic, he led the lifeboat station through a "period of huge uncertainty" in one of the RNLI's busiest summers on record.

In 1997, he was recognised by the RNLI for saving three people cut off by the tide "in very difficult conditions, with a fine display of teamwork between lifeboat, coastguard and helicopter".

He said he was "extremely surprised" to be recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

'Icing on the cake'

The recognition was for the "dedication and hard work of the whole team", he said.

The best part of the job was "when you haul someone from the sea knowing that they would not have made it without you".

"This is the icing on the cake," he said.

Others from Cornwall who have been recognised:

• Leslie Eastlake, 71, British Empire Medal (BEM), from Saint Tudy, for services to the community

• Luke Thomas Francis, 41, BEM, from Bude. Head postmaster, for services to the Post Office and the community in Bude

• Beatrice Jackson, 72, BEM, from Bodmin Moor, for voluntary service to the British Red Cross

• Tamsin Harris, 43, BEM, from Truro. She is deputy head teacher at Indian Queens Primary School. For services to education and voluntary work

• Pauline Dawn Giles, 58, BEM, from St Blazey, for services to the community

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