'Extraordinary' Suffolk champions presented with their Queen's Honours
L to R: William Smith, MBE, Matthew Read, BEM, Simon Scammell, BEM, Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk, Countess of Euston, Clare FitzRoy, Sue Doolan, OBE, and Douglas Field, OBE. - Credit: Sonya Duncan
Suffolk's great and good formally received their Queen's Honours in a special ceremony this week.
From business owners to charity workers, MBEs, OBEs and BEMs were formally handed out to five residents at The Racing Stables in Euston by the Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk, Clare Fitzroy, Countess of Euston
Sue Doolan, OBE, and the Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk, Clare, Countess of Euston. - Credit: Sonya Duncan
She said: “Their extraordinary contribution to this wonderful county of ours and wider communities across the United Kingdom is awe-inspiring.
"We have been through such difficult times and we are not out of the woods yet, but these individuals shine a ray of light in the darkness and are an example to us all.
"They are the very best of Suffolk. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude."
Simon Scammell, BEM, Suffolk Sails. - Credit: Sonya Duncan
Simon Peter Scammell, from Suffolk Sails in Woodbridge, received a BEM for running and distributing a volunteer-based PPE operation at their factory since March 2020.
The 47-year-old said he would be sharing his medal with his team and the numerous volunteers who help.
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He said: "I have a smidge of an embarrassment of why me? When there were so many people helping during the pandemic.
"People have told me I did quite a lot. It's not like I'm going to wear the medal. It's all just very nice."
Matthew Read, BEM, Suffolk Sails - Credit: Sonya Duncan
His former colleague Matthew Read, who began the PPE push also got a BEM, and now works at Harwich Haven Authority, roped in his wife and children to construct hundreds of visors a day after nurses
The 36-year-old said: "It's just a complete shock and I still felt so out of place. I just started doing it as I had the parts to do it."
William Smith, MBE, president, East Anglian Sailing Trust. - Credit: Sonya Duncan
William Smith, president of East Anglian Sailing Trust in Levington, now an MBE said it's not just him helping disabled people learn to sail.
The 86-year-old said: "We will share it with the volunteers.
"They help people gain the confidence through sailing and when they are disabled they can be apprehensive about starting."
Douglas Field, OBE, chairman of New Anglian Local Enterprise Partnership. - Credit: Sonya Duncan
Douglas John Field, former chair at New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, who is joint chief executive of East of England Co-op, got an OBE.
The 49-year-old said: "We don't shout enough about how great Suffolk and Norfolk is so that's what we really tried to do.
"The role made me a better leader and father to my children. I learned so many leadership skills."
During his time at the LEP, it secured funding for a £16m redevelopment of the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) in Lowestoft, and Gainsborough House in Sudbury.
Susan Marie Doolan, governor of Littlehey prison also received an OBE for Services to Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service during Covid-19.
Sue Doolan, OBE - Credit: Sonya Duncan
