BREAKING NEWS: King’s Lynn hockey coach Danny Kerry receives MBE in Queen’s Birthday Honours List

Lynn’s Olympic gold medal-winning hockey coach has been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, which was published a short time ago.

Danny Kerry, who led the British women’s team to a historic triumph in Rio last year, has been awarded an MBE for services to women’s hockey.

The award comes six months after the squad he led to glory in Brazil were all honoured in the New Year list.

Other West Norfolk honours include an MBE for Lynda Chamberlain from Downham, a security manager for Anglian Water.

There are also British Empire Medals (BEMs) for Lynn’s John Lord and Margaret Mason, for services to flintknapping and the Friends of Thetford Forest group respectively.

And a further BEM has been awarded to Dr Melanie Bruce, of Fakenham, clinical psychologist for the Starfish Plus mental health service for services to children and families.

The list also includes an OBE for the chief executive of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Brendan Joyce, for services to nature conservation in recognition of his 22 years as head of the organisation.

He said: “It is an incredible honour to receive this award from our Patron, Her Majesty the Queen. In recognising my work for Norfolk’s wildlife, it also highlights the work of all those around me at the Trust both staff and volunteers.

“It also reflects a willingness amongst people in Norfolk to believe in the rights and value of our natural world and I am privileged to champion conservation on their behalf.”

Elsewhere, two members of staff on the Queen’s Sandringham estate have been granted awards.

The estate’s land agent’s secretary Ann Butcher and farm foreman Richard Codman have been made members of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO), while Jacqueline Birkhead, senior stud hand at the Royal Stud, has been awarded a silver Royal Victorian Medal.

More than 900 people have been awarded honours in the current list, which includes a knighthood for Billy Connolly and damehoods for Julie Walters and June Whitfield.

Suffolk-born singer Ed Sheeran has been awarded an MBE, while other leading figures from the world of sport to be recognised include Judy Murray, Olympic rowing champion Heather Stanning and former world light-heavyweight boxing champion John Conteh,

More to follow.