Birthday Honours: Cleethorpes teacher's MBE for lockdown deliveries

Zane Powles walked up to five miles a day delivering meals during lockdown

A teacher who delivered free school meals to his pupils during lockdown has been appointed MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

Zane Powles, 48, from Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, walked miles to deliver about 80 meals each day on foot.

He said walking so far each day was tough, but not as tough as it was for families having to stay at home.

"Just being able to do my job was enough for me and to get this amazing honour, it's just incredible," he said.

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Mr Powles, who is the assistant head at Western Primary School, said when he received the letter he thought it was a prank by one of his friends.

"I got the letter and it looked like it was done by one of my mates! I read it and I thought, wow! me! I just couldn't believe it.

"I felt embarrassed because there are so many amazing teachers that I know of, and I felt a bit overwhelmed."

Prof Ramesh Arasaradnam has worked in acute care throughout the pandemic

Prof Ramesh Arasaradnam, 47, has been appointed OBE for services to the NHS during Covid-19.

The consultant gastroenterologist, from Stamford, worked throughout the peak of the pandemic, while designing a clinical trial of a new treatment for Covid-19.

"At the height of the pandemic we were drafted into front line to actually meet acute patients coming through the front door and helping to manage them on the wards, so it was a very interesting learning experience," he said.

Penelope Bond came up with the idea of sending letters to cheers up isolated care home residents

A BEM has been awarded to Penelope Bond. from Grantham. for her voluntary work during the pandemic.

The 41-year-old travel consultant works for London North East Railway and joined the company's scheme offering volunteering opportunities for staff.

She began writing letters to residents in a local care home, but it quickly grew.

"I originally came up with the idea because I thought about the care home residents being isolated and how it must make them feel.

"It started with letters and went on to poems and quotes," she said.

The scheme now includes more than 150 care homes across the country, delivering 2,400 letters in total.

"It's had a really positive impact," she said.