Rock stars, community workers and renowned experts have been rewarded for their efforts in the New Year Honours List revealed today.
The Who frontman Roger Daltrey, who lives in Burwash, was made a CBE and actor Hugh Lloyd was made an OBE.
Illustrator Quentin Blake, who spends much of his time in Hastings, has also been made a CBE for services to children's literature. He is best known for his illustrations of Roald Dahl's books.
There were also rewards for less well-known faces, including Lesley Corbett, headteacher of Carden Primary School in Brighton, and Peter Huxtable, coxswain of Shoreham Lifeboat.
All those honoured had letters from the Prime Minister's office in November offering the awards but had to keep their good news quiet until today.
Roger Daltrey, 60, was delighted to receive his CBE for services to music, the entertainment industry and charity.
He said: "I am so pleased. It is really great to be honoured by my country."
The rock legend is patron of the Teenage Cancer Trust and has raised more than £2 million for the charity.
Recognition Colin Baker, 60, has been made a CBE for his services to the Post Office.
He has been general secretary of the National Federation of Sub Postmasters for the past 14 years and lives in Shoreham Beach with his wife Carole.
Mr Baker said: "It is a tremendous honour and I feel very proud. The federation has been working tremendously hard over the years and this honour is in recognition of that."
Top Government official Ian Denyer, from Bolney, has become one of the very few people to be made an MVO - the Royal Victorian Order.
This is an Order of Chivalry and the Queen's personal gift, which makes it very special.
Mr Denyer said: "This award has, as far as I am concerned at least, all come rather out of the blue, though it is a welcome surprise to be honoured by Her Majesty in this way."
Mr Denyer is also chairman of the Bolney Parish Council, agovernor of Bolney Primary School, chairman of the local branch of The Gideons and a trustee of the Brighton-based homeless charity Off the Fence.
He has been employed in the public service for more than 30 years. At present he is head of the Crown Office in the House of Lords, Clerk of the Chamber and Deputy Clerk of the Crown in Chancery.
Lesley Corbett has been head-teacher of Carden Primary School for six years and sees her OBE for services to education as recognition for the hard work and effort of staff, governors, pupils and parents.
Mrs Corbett, 50, from Wivelsfield, said: "I was very surprised and very proud to be given this honour and it is a recognition of all the efforts of everyone."
Ann Johnson, who has devoted the past 20 years of her life to helping children with severe disabilities, has been made an MBE for services to special needs children.
Mrs Johnson, 56, from Worthing, first became involved with the Chanctonbury Community Playscheme shortly after it started in 1977.
She said: "I was absolutely stunned when I got the letter about the MBE. I thought awards went to special people. I'm just an ordinary person and this sort of thing does not happen to someone like me."
Jackie Lythell is a familiar face to many people in Brighton and Hove.
Not only was she a Brighton and Hove City councillor for 24 years until she stepped down last year, she is also a non-
executive director of South Downs Health NHS Trust, chairwoman of Age Concern in Brighton and Hove and chairwoman of the Brighton Philharmonic Society.
Mrs Lythell, 70, from Brighton, was overwhelmed to be made an OBE for her services to the community.
She said: "It is always pleasing when you think your friends and colleagues have gone to the trouble of submitting your name.
"Lots of people do things but without any recognition and I think it was extremely considerate of them."
Peter Huxtable, from Shoreham, has spent his entire life by the sea and spent 36 years of them involved with the Shoreham Lifeboat.
He was made an MBE for his services to the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI).
He said: "I am very, very honoured but this is more of a tribute to the hard work and dedication of the team at Shoreham."
Actor Hugh Lloyd is one of the best-loved faces in British comedy following his appearances in classics such as Hancock's Half Hour.
He also starred in the popular Hugh And I series with Terry Scott and classic cult film Quadrophenia.
Mr Lloyd was made a MBE for services to drama and to charity.
Although delighted with his MBE, Mr Lloyd said: "Obviously with tragedies such as the recent events in the Indian Ocean our thoughts must be with those people, and particularly their children. We must dig deep into our hearts and pockets to provide the help and support for these people."
Beatrice Hobson, the former manager of Horsham and District Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), has been made an MBE for services to the community.
She has devoted 23 years to CAB work, including 13 years at Horsham.
During her tenure, the Horsham bureau became one of the most effective in the South.
She said: "I am delighted and honoured, especially as the award is for services to the communities of West Sussex."
Mrs Hobson, who retired from CAB work in the summer, is also an enthusiastic patron of the Horsham Symphony Orchestra and on the management committee of the Crawley and Horsham branch of the mental health charity Mind.
Leslie Fairweather was made an OBE for his pioneering architectural work.
Mr Fairweather, 75, of Deanland Road, Balcombe, said: "I was delighted to get the news.
I thought I was a bit old for this kind of thing."
Christopher Saunders, 56, of St Anne's Terrace, Lewes, got his OBE for his international disability work for Save the Children.
He said: "I feel very privileged that Save the Children put my name forward."
William Jordan, vice-president of the RSPCA, was recognised with an OBE for his services to animal welfare.
Dr Jordan, 80, of Horsham Road, Rusper, said: "Most of these awards go to people who help people so it is good that one has been given for helping animals.
Annabel Hemstedt, of Florence Road, Brighton, was made an OBE for her work as the executive director at the Basic Skills Agency.
Mrs Hemstedt, 60, said: "I am thrilled and my children will be very pleased as well."
Deborah Barber, 52, of Hamsey Road, Barcombe, received an OBE for services to agriculture.
The director of the South of England Agriculture Society said: "This is a recognition of the society and its charitable work."
Malcolm Belchamber, 58, received an MBE for his services to the Littlehampton community.
Town mayor Mr Belchamber, of Beach Road, Littlehampton, said: "I was bowled over by the news and hugely flattered."
Gareth Stacey, 68, from Hove, has been made an MBE for his services to young people and the community.
He is president of the Hove YMCA, having spent 32 years as its chairman.
He was also instrumental in setting up a youth centre at a redundant church near Barcombe, Lewes, now known as St Barts, which opened in 2002.
Muriel Hart, from Hove, was made an MBE for services to music and the community in Brighton and Hove.
She has been the piano accompanist for the Brighton Orpheus Choir for 60 years.
She is also secretary of the Sussex Musicians Club and was music adviser for the local education authority for 15 years before she retired.
Carole Ann Shaves, from St Leonards, was made an MBE for services to the victim support service in East Sussex.
Mrs Shaves learnt about the small Hastings branch of the service back in 1984 when she had her handbag snatched.
She said: "I wanted to give something back so got involved and trained as a counsellor.
"I got more and more involved and took over as chairwoman in 1987."
Since then the group has expanded dramatically and now covers the whole of Hastings and Rother.
Other award recipients include Nigel Kennedy-
Finlayson, from Bognor, the former head of the business and information systems division for the National Assembly for Wales, who was made an OBE.
Gavin Anderson Mackay, from Haywards Heath, was made an OBE for his work for the Prime Minister's office.
Wendy Rita Marrable, from Loxwood, near Billingshurst, a former special investigation section team leader for the Inland Revenue, was made an OBE for her work.
Derek Norcross, from Hastings, former chairman of East Sussex County Council, was made an OBE for services to the community in East Sussex.
Adrian Mark Pollitt, from Rye, director of the Office of the Strategic Health Authorities, was made an OBE for services to the NHS.
Dr Clifford Thomas Dann, from Uckfield, was made an MBE for charitable services.
Gloria Jean Regina Donaldson, from Rustington, was made an MBE for services to the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund.
Arthur Robert Peters, from Ringmer, was made an MBE for services to the community.
Gillian Rosamund Temple, from Waldron, near Heathfield, was made an MBE for services to education and to the community in East Sussex.
William Coupar, from Brighton, director of the Involvement and Participation Association, was made an MBE for services to business.
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