King's birthday honours: Man who tended playing fields for decades awarded

Michael Sayer is awarded the British Empire Medal for his lifelong work preserving Bodham playing fields

A village stalwart said he was "shocked and humbled" to be recognised in the King's first birthday honours list.

Michael Sayer, 84, has worked tirelessly to fundraise for and maintain his local playing fields at Bodham, near Holt in Norfolk.

He described himself as "born and bred Bodham" and was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to his local community.

"I've worked hard all my life but I expected nowt back," he told the BBC.

Mr Sayer first became involved in the Bodham Village Playing Field Committee at the age of 15 and has continued to volunteer in some capacity for more than 65 years.

"It's always been close to my heart," he said. "I played football and cricket here as a boy - it's very important."

The fields are now the home ground for two local football teams and are used for a variety of sporting and community events.

Mr Sayer has also organised fundraising events to maintain the fields, including setting up small-scale plant stalls during the coronavirus pandemic, car boot sales and open gardens.

"It's the last thing I expected. I'm greatly honoured. I feel like a very important person all of a sudden," he said.

"I'll probably be asked to speak at public events or the WI for all I know."

Retired magistrate Jean Bonnick has been awarded an MBE for services to the administration of justice

Meanwhile, Jean Bonnick, 72, from Dereham, has been awarded an MBE for services to the administration of justice. She said she thought the news was a prank.

"It came out of the blue," she said. "I'm absolutely overwhelmed. I had no inkling at all."

Mrs Bonnick worked as a local magistrate for 20 years and devoted her time to raising awareness of mental health issues within adult and youth justice, after finding the 2009 Lord Bradley Report "deeply moving".

She received a Special Recognition Award from the Magistrates' Association in 2019 for her mental health awareness, youth advocacy and restorative justice work.

Mrs Bonnick also made sure psychiatric nurses were either present or on call to support defendants in Norfolk's courts.

"It was obvious that so many people in adult and youth courts had mental health problems and needed support," she said.

Barbara Wilson has been praised for the high quality of her work in early years education provision

Elsewhere, Barbara Wilson, 62, from North Walsham, has been awarded an MBE for services to education in Hertfordshire, where she lived for 16 years.

She has worked within early years provision for more than 20 years and is a national expert in childcare sufficiency assessment.

She said she felt "very humbled but delighted" to be recognised.

Ms Wilson has worked with local authorities and the Department for Education to implement the 30-hours childcare scheme for three and four-year-olds of working families, and early learning entitlements for the least-advantaged two-year-olds.

"I am blessed to work in this field," she said.

"From the introduction of early years entitlements to Sure Start - you can see the difference it makes to families and the people I am lucky to work with, who are all deeply committed to supporting children."

Ms Wilson also volunteers with Crossroads Caring for Carers, a charity in Hertfordshire.

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