Sussex heroes make Queen's birthday honours list

Sussex residents who have made outstanding contributions during the Covid-19 crisis appear on the list which was itself delayed because of the pandemic.

Theresa Mclvor is awarded an MBE for “services to the community during Covid-19”.

The 59-year-old volunteers at Lifelines, a project for older people run by national charity, Volunteering Matters.

She devoted about 30 hours a week answering calls to isolated, vulnerable older people and co-ordinating shopping and prescription deliveries.

Miss Mclvor, from Hanover in Brighton, said: “I feel very honoured and quite humble actually because I know there are so many thousands of people out there who have done so much this year to support their community.

“It was a real surprise when I found out I had been nominated and I’m so appreciative that the people I volunteer with feel that I have done such a great job supporting them and people in the community.”

Another Sussex resident honoured with a British Empire Medal is Adam Smith.

The home delivery driver worked tirelessly to ensure he supported his more elderly and vulnerable customers, leaving his personal mobile and home numbers in case they were stuck for anything else.

The 44-year-old from Rustington said: “I was just doing what I normally would and that’s helping as many people as I could, in a time when everyone needed help.

“I didn’t expect any recognition or any reward as such, so it came as a nice surprise.

“My children were very excited.

“They laid a little red carpet out on the front doorstep so when I got home from work one night I had it laying out in front of me, so that was quite cute.”

Matthew Burrows, from Rye, to receives MBE for services to the arts during the Covid-19 response.

The 49-year-old has raised more than £60 million for independent makers and artists worldwide by creating #artistsupportpledge, through which struggling artists could share and sell their work during lockdown.

For every £1,000 an artist makes in sales, they pledge to plough back £200 on purchasing work from other artists using the hashtag, creating a self-sustaining lifeline.

Mr Burrows said: “I’ve said over and over again throughout doing this the greatest honour I could ever have is having done it.

“I’ve helped support my friends, colleagues, peers across the world and it’s not something anyone ever expects to have had the opportunity to do – it certainly wasn’t on my to-do list.

“So that will always go down for me as the greatest thing and the greatest honour, but to have formal recognition of it through the MBE is just icing on the cake really.”

Sussex’s oldest recipient is 82-year-old Celia Powis, who receives a BEM for services to the community.

Since the 1970s, Mrs Powis has been leading classes in Popmobility, an aerobic, dance fitness programme, at Worthing Leisure Centre.

Through her work, she has raised money for various charities, including for the grandchildren of a woman who attends her sessions, both of whom have cerebral palsy.

Celia, from Worthing, said: “I was absolutely amazed to tell you the truth.

“My husband came across the letter in my email and of course both of us were completely blown away.

“I don’t feel like I deserve it but of course I am very honoured that I’ve got it.”

Before coronavirus, Celia, alongside her husband Jack, led classes of up to 300 people, but due to restrictions, class sizes have been limited.

However, the couple continue to hold classes at the leisure centre.

She said: “We both get up on the stage, demonstrating and talking through it. We work as hard as everyone else and I still do five sessions a week.”

“Our first thing in life is to keep fit so we can enjoy life and do all the things we want to, like attend to our allotments.”

Another Sussex recipient is Simon Charleton, chief executive of St John’s in Warpole Road, Brighton, an independent school and college that works with young people with complex learning disabilities.

He is honoured with a BEM for leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Charleton said: “In my heart, I share this honour with the other 350 members of staff at St John’s who were, and continue to be, truly amazing in their determination to keep our education, residential care and therapy going through this very difficult time.

“I can readily think of scores of other equally deserving colleagues who might also have received this honour and it is in this spirit, and with them in mind, that I am so happy and proud to accept the award.”

For services to the community during Covid-19, Theivandriam Jeevathasan from Petworth, receives a BEM. At the height of the pandemic, the 45-year-old transformed his village shop in Graffham, into an online outlet, delivering food and medicines from the two local GP practices to the community.

Mr Jeevathasan said: “I’m very surprised and very proud.

“It made me so happy to find out how much everyone in the community loves me. We are still delivering to senior citizens every day, door to door.

“It’s good to keep supporting the community.”

Big names to be honoured include the actress Maureen Lipman. The 74-year-old is made a dame for her services to the arts and charity, after previously receiving a CBE in 1999.

Ms Lipman has supported several charities over the years, including the Holocaust Education Centre, in Nottingham and Myeloma Foundation.

Former Great British Bake Off presenter Marry Berry is also made a dame.