New Years Honours – The Wrexham List

Wrexhamites are joining the likes of Barbara Windsor and Idris Elba in this years New Years Honours list.

Receivers of the British Empire Medal locally include, along with the formal stated reason on the roll of honour:

• Mary Freeman Parry. Trustee, Wrexham Care Association. For services to elderly people in Wrexham. (Wrexham)
• Thomas Delwyn Roberts. For voluntary service to the community in Llangollen, Wrexham.
• Rosemary Corbett Thomas. District cub scout leader, Llangollen, Wrexham. For services to the scout movement in Llangollen district, Wrexham. (Wrexham)

Recipients are entitled to use the letters “BEM” after their names.

One of North Wales’ most senior police officers who has served in Wrexham has been named as a recipient of the Queen’s Police Medal (QPM).

Deputy Chief Constable Gareth Pritchard has been recognised for distinguished service following a 30-year career in policing.

Raised in Bethesda, on the outskirts of Bangor, DCC Pritchard joined North Wales Police in 1984 and as a Constable he served at Wrexham Town, Corwen and the Traffic Department at Wrexham. In 1990 he was promoted to Sergeant at Rhyl and worked as a Patrol and Custody Sergeant and then in the Community Policing Team at Rhuddlan. Between 1994 and 1997 he worked in the Corporate Development Department at Police Headquarters before moving to Flintshire as a Uniform Inspector. Between 1998 and 2003 he served as a Chief Inspector and Superintendent in the Operational Support Division where he was responsible for armed response vehicles, firearms team, roads policing, the dog section, helicopter and emergency planning.

On receiving the news, DCC Pritchard said: “I am extremely humbled to have been honoured in this way. All my service has been with North Wales Police and it is a great privilege to work with terrific people in the Force. Any recognition should also include the fantastic team that I am a part of and I am grateful for all the support I’ve had over my 30 years of policing.”

Chief Constable Mark Polin said: “On behalf of everybody at North Wales Police, I congratulate Gareth on his well-deserved award.

“He has made a significant and lasting contribution to both policing here in the region and nationally during his many years of exemplary service and it is pleasing to see that this has been appropriately recognised.”

Others recognised in the awards nearby include:

• BEM: Gaynor Jones. For voluntary service to women’s golf in Wales. (Mold, Flintshire)
• MBE: Mrs Philippa Claire Griffith. For voluntary and public service to the community in Shrewsbury and Shropshire. (Corwen, Denbighshire)
• MBE: Mrs Lucille Ingman. Chair, Leeswood Nightingale House Hospice Fundraising Group. For services to the community and to charity in Leeswood, Flintshire. (Leeswood, Flintshire)
• DBE: Prof Margaret McRae Whitehead. Head, department of public health and policy, Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool. For services to public health. (Nantwich, Cheshire)

The New Year’s Honour list sees a total of 1,196 people receive an award, more than 75% of whom are recognised for outstanding work in their communities, either in a voluntary or a paid capacity.