Queen's Honours: Pandemic 'like a mini war' says MBE recipient

Helen and Mike Taylor started a charity to support ex-service personnel 10 years ago

A couple recognised by the Queen for their work supporting ex-service personnel said the coronavirus pandemic was "like a mini war in itself".

Mike and Helen Taylor, who run the charity Bridge for Heroes in King's Lynn, Norfolk, have been made MBEs.

The charity was set up 10 years ago and they currently help about 2,000 people.

Ex-serviceman Mr Taylor said he was "humbled" to have been recognised, but his wife "thought her email account had been hacked" when she read the news.

The couple are among a number of people in Norfolk who have been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.

They sold their home to set up the charity, which they initially thought might help 10 or 15 people a year, Mr Taylor said.

However, the number of ex-service personnel coming to The Bridge for Heroes for help with PTSD, mental health issues and other support rose rapidly.

Their drop-in centre has always been busy but when the UK was plunged into lockdown, the need for support grew.

"I served in the Gulf and Bosnia, but the pandemic was like a mini war in itself," Mr Taylor said.

He, his wife, and volunteers were "licensed and trained" so they could go into people's homes wearing full PPE, he said.

"We must have visited more than 800 people."

The couple and an army of volunteers and supporters are continuing to raise funds for the charity's work and are soon to open a larger facility.

Both have been made MBEs for services to supporting ex-service personnel and their families.

A 'silent army'

Also made an MBE is Kay Harvey for services to the community in Badersfield, Norwich.

Kay Harvey says there is a "silent army" of volunteers like herself up and down the country

Mrs Harvey and volunteers at her charity have been supporting refugees and local people who found themselves without a home since the pandemic began.

Her group helped about 90 refugees housed at the former RAF Coltishall station.

"It all started when we were talking to a man through the fence - he had been a teacher in his home country and spoke English - he needed compression socks as he had a heart condition," Mrs Harvey said.

As more people arrived, so did donations.

"We made up cards with pictures of things like pants and socks, and they could circle what they needed - and we gave them tape measures so we'd know their sizes for things like trousers."

"Shocked and surprised" to be given an MBE, Mrs Harvey said: "It's not just me. I don't do it on my own.

"There are many others here and people like us up and down the country doing the same - we're like a silent army."

Among others in the county to be recognised is Stephen Earl, a businessman who turned his plastics factory over to manufacturing more than 300,000 face shields. He was made an MBE.