Proud Dorothy cleans up with MBE

A world-renowned scientist, a Scouting stalwart, charity fundraisers and a sawmill manager are among the local figures in this year's New Year's Honours List.

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She has been helping to make school dinners and cleaning classrooms in Dereham for decades and now DOROTHY WINNER has been made an MBE for her work at Northgate High School.

It was a complete surprise to Mrs Winner, 71, who has worked as a catering assistant and cleaner at the school for nearly 40 years.

“It is just unbelievable. It was completely out of the blue and I was so emotional when I found out,” said Mrs Winner, of Moorgate Road. “Who would have thought that an ordinary person like me would be made an MBE? I am no different from anyone else. I just do my job which I love. It is just me.”

Mrs Winner began working in the school's kitchen in her 30s and later took on the role of a cleaner too.

She now works in the kitchen from 10.30am to 2.30pm cooking pizzas, making bacon butties and baguettes, and serving pupils at the till, before switching roles at 3.30pm and cleaning classrooms, hall and foyer.

And even though she is well over retirement age and could be taking a much-deserved rest, Mrs Winner is determined to stay at Northgate High for as long as possible.

“Everybody at the school is fantastic. It is just like one big family. The pupils are really lovely, and a lot of the youngsters who are at Northgate now have parents who remember me from when they went to the school.”

Mrs Winner is married to Derek, 76, and they have two sons, David and Neil, and two granddaughters, Zoe and Samantha.

t Scouting has been a part of RONNIE MOBBS' life, in one form or another, for almost 70 years - and he has been rewarded by being made an MBE for ser-vices to young people. The 76-year-old great-grandfather, who lives in Norwich, first joined the Cubs in 1938 and continued with the Scouts during the war. He gained his first leader's warrant in 1950 with the 24th Norwich, now the 1st Thorpe St Andrew.

Following a stint in the RAF, and a move to Woodbridge, Mr Mobbs returned to Norfolk after getting a job with Norwich City Council and took over as leader of the Blofield and Brundall Royal Naval Recognised Sea Scouts.

He was made district commissioner for central Norwich in 1985 - a post he held for the maximum five years.

The married father-of-four continued as deputy district commissioner until 65 but although retired he is busier than ever, thanks to his role as building surveyor with the organisation, which included designing and project managing the £1m Eaton Vale Scout and Guide Activity Centre.

Of his honour, Mr Mobbs said: “It came out of the blue and I really don't know what I have done to deserve it. I am very grateful, it's grand.”

t Norfolk's multi-medal- winning shooter MICK GAULT is celebrating after being made an OBE.

“It is so exciting. It means the earth to me, not just for myself but for my sport which I dearly love. My hero is rifle shooter Malcolm Cooper and he was made an MBE. To receive a similar honour to him is superb,” said Mr Gault, 53, who is England's most-decorated Common-wealth Games competitor.

The super shooter from Dereham has won 15 medals in four games including a gold in the 25m standard pistol singles competition in Melbourne last year, and is looking forward to competing in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

Mr Gault has also won a vast number of air pistol and free pistol titles in the British Championships.

Mr Gault, who works at RAF Marham, is married to Janet, 53. They have three children, Clare, Robin and Paula, and are expecting their first grandchild in January.

t Since establishing Norfolk's police authority, chief executive CHRIS HARDING has overseen the force's transformation from a “chalk-and- slate” organisation to a truly modern law-enforcement agency.

Mr Harding, made an MBE for services to policing, left Norfolk County Council to take up the post when independent police authorities were introduced by the government in 1994.

He said that in the early days, Norfolk police was a force which aimed for low council tax and low public-sector involvement but has had to evolve to keep pace with the times and invest in more bobbies on the beat.

Mr Harding said his biggest disappointment was the collapse of plans to merge with Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, establishing an East Anglian superforce.

But the authority is currently working alongside chief constable Ian McPherson in an “exciting” overhaul to modernise policing in the county.

“Any achievements I've had have been down to working alongside a group of people who are committed to driving Norfolk forward,” he added.

t For almost 30 years, DAVID BRADFORD has been representing the Crome ward on Norwich City Council.

The former Lord Mayor of the city, who also worked for the county council as a welfare-rights officer until he retired, was first elected in 1978.

His commitment to the city and its residents has been recognised with him being made an MBE for services to the community.

A married father of two grown-up sons, Mr Bradford, who is a wheelchair user, was chairman of the city's economic development committee from 1993 to 1998 and served as portfolio holder for social inclusion.

Mr Bradford, who lives in his ward, has also served on housing, leisure, planning, personnel and city works committees.

“I am surprised and delighted. My wife, Thelma, is also my carer and this award should be for her as well,” he said.

Mr Bradford is involved with a number of charities in a voluntary capacity including as an adviser of Norwich Crossroads and Help and Advocacy for Norfolk Disabled (Hand).

t SANDY LINES, who works as a dialysis support worker at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, has been made an MBE for her tireless work for charitable services.

In the last 11 years, Mrs Lines has raised money for the United Norwich Kidney Patients Association (UNKPA), of which she is also chairman, to enable renal patients and their partners to go on trips to the Netherlands where they enjoy the benefits of being on holiday while continuing to receive lifesaving dialysis treatment.

Not content with just working with renal patients, Mrs Lines also completed her BA (Hons) in Professional Studies and graduated earlier this year from UEA.

Mrs Lines said: “This news came completely out of the blue and I was very surprised to have been recognised for the work I just do every day. However without the support of my colleagues on the Jack Pryor Renal Unit at the NNUH and at UNKPA I would not have been able to provide the services I do, therefore I feel I am collecting this MBE on behalf of them all.”

t Prof ANDREW THOMSON, dean of the faculty of science at UEA, has been made an MBE for services to higher education.

The schools of study within the faculty have a reputation for innovation, excellence and working across the boundaries of different academic disciplines and he has overseen much of this success.

The quality of its research has earned it a reputation as one of the top 10 research universities for science in the UK. All of the research units within the Faculty of Science were rated as being internationally or nationally excellent in the last government-sponsored Research Assessment Exercise in 2001.

t OLIVE JENNIFER LODER PRICE, from Yarmouth, has been made an MBE for services to HMP Blundeston in Suffolk. Ms Price is co-ordinator of friends of Blundeston prison and organised a tearoom for prison visitors.

t PETER SINDALL, of Old Buckenham, has been made an MBE for services to people with learning disabilities in Norfolk.

The founder of Onward Enterprises, which runs sheltered workshops at Harleston and Thetford, Mr Sindall has spent most of his working life helping people with learning disabilities.

He was for many years director of the South Norfolk and Breckland Tattoo - a military extravaganza held at Attleborough that raised more than £150,000 during its 30-year history, to benefit local individuals and organisations. This included £75,000 to enable the adult training centre in Attleborough to build a swimming pool.

Mr Sindall directed the opening ceremony at the first international world cup for people with learning disabilities, hosted by England and held at Leicester Football Club in 1998. Employees at the Harleston centre made the bunting used at the event. He also set up the Onward Players drama group.

t Pensioner FREDDIE BACCHUS, who has spent his last 40 years working in the health service, has been made an MBE for services to the NHS.

The 66-year-old from King's Lynn worked at the town's hospital for 35 years before retiring last year.

Of his honour, he said: “It came as a surprise to me, I did not expect it.

“I have seen a lot of good and bad things, but I like looking after people. I had seen a lot of poverty at home, among the slums and I decided, like Bob Geldof, you need to show caring for other people.

“It is very rewarding, helping people and seeing them get better. Even if you just do a dressing.

Born in British Guiana, the only British-speaking south American colony, now independent Guyana, he was brought up playing cricket and at an early age was doing charity work with his pop band.

Although he quite fancied going into the music industry, he joined the NHS when he moved to London in 1961 at the age of 20.

Ten years on he moved to King's Lynn where he stayed until he retired last year as a health-care support worker.

Now he is enjoying retirement, spending time reading, doing Bible studies and volunteer work and looks up to the likes of Bob Geldof and Bono for their humanitarian work.

t Prof BRUCE PONDER, world renowned for his pioneering research hunting cancer genes, has been made a Knight Bachelor for services to medicine.

In the 1990s his team helped track down two genes which affect breast- cancer risk.

Knowing they have the genes means high-risk individuals can be screened regularly and given advice.

West Norfolk-based Prof Ponder, whose home is in Snettisham, near King's Lynn, is director of Oncology at the Cancer Research UK Institute in Cambridge.

He is now studying how one of the genes works and its role in cancer and is part of a team which is, thanks to thousands of women with breast cancer in East Anglia, comparing the DNA of cancer patients to healthy people.

He was given a professorship of oncology at the University of Cambridge in January last year through the Li Ka Shing Foundation.

Prof Ponder is also carrying out research into oesophageal cancer genes and thyroid cancer genes.

t A mechanic who has helped keep the Queen's farm machinery in good working order for the last two decades has been awarded a Royal Victorian Medal.

RODNEY FROHAWK, 64, has worked as a mechanic on the Queen's Sandringham Estate since 1992.

He retired last April due to illness, but said he had enjoyed his time working at the estate.

Mr Frohawk, from Holme near Hunstanton, said: “I was quite surprised when I found out. But I am very pleased to receive it.”

Mr Frohawk, who is a grandfather, had worked as a mechanic in King's Lynn, before joining the estate workforce. He was responsible for the service and maintenance of the farm machinery.

The Royal Victorian Medal was also awarded to other Sandringham employees: John Bourner, the sawmill manager at Sandringham Estate; Nichola Colman, the public enterprises secretary and also Richard William Codman, a farm foreman.

t Also included in the New Year's Honours List is the Colonel of the Royal Anglian Regiment, Gen JOHN MCCOLL, CBE, DSO, who receives a knighthood.