The RFU would like to congratulate those who received awards in her Majesty the Queens’ Birthday honours list announced on 14th June.

Queen’s Fire Service Medals

Paul David Rower Hancock – Chief Fire Officer Cheshire F&R Service

Jonathan Geoffrey Hall – Chief Fire Officer Gloucestershire F&S Service

Mark Stewart Jones – Chief Fire Officer, Buckinghamshire F&S Service

Richard Geoffrey Lawrence – Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Hereford & Worcester F&S Service

David Boyle, Assistant Chief Officer Scottish F&R Service

Alex Clark, Deputy Chief Officer Scottish F&R Service

Lewis Ramsay, Assistant Chief Officer Scottish F&R Service

BEM

Peter Shields Watch Manager, Cheshire F&R Service. For services to the community in Cheshire

Gary Norman Mattingley Station Manager, Oxfordshire F&R Service. For services to  protecting communities from flooding.  (Bicester, Oxfordshire)

Daniel Peter Murphy, for services to the Merseyside FRS Museum. (Bootle, Merseyside)

MBE

John Cartwright, National Organisational Support Officer, FRS and Chair, Fire  Services Youth Training Association. For services to the Fire and Rescue Service.  (Swinton, Lancashire)

John Leonard Anthony, Regional Project director London Fire Brigade. For services to the FRS (St Ives, Cambridgeshire)

Kenneth John Arnold, Senior Scientific Officer Forensic Science Northern Ireland, Department of Justice, Northern Ireland Executive. For services to Fire Investigation in Northern Ireland.  (Belfast)

Paul Anthony Hodges, Critical Incident Debrief Officer Warwickshire FRS For services to the Fire and Rescue Service. (Exhall, Warwickshire)

Christopher Michael Rose, Retained Station Commander Gillingham Fire Station. For services to the community in Dorset. (Gillingham, Dorset)

John Joseph Tully, Chief executive World Police and Fire Games 2013. For services to Policing and the community in Northern Ireland. (Belfast)

OBE

Ms Dawn EASTMEAD, Deputy Director National Fire Policy, Department for Communities and Local Government. For services to Communities and Fire Safety.

John BARTON General Secretary, Retained Firefighters Union. For services to Fire and Rescue Services.  (Newmarket, Suffolk)

Edward George Noel ALCOCK For public and voluntary service in Suffolk. (Stowmarket, Suffolk)

RFU President Tony Morgan said:

“Each year we see fitting recognition for those who have made an extraordinary contribution to public service through the FRS.  Be it operationally or in other equally vital service departments and I offer my congratulations to all the recipients of awards.

This year in particular I am also pleased that RFU General Secretary John Barton has been appointed an OBE in the list. John has in total 40 years of service behind him, 30 years as an operational firefighter and Officer in Charge and almost 15 years as a full time official, 5 years whilst still operational. This award is well deserved.

I am also pleased to see that Mr Edward George Noel Alcock, has been appointed an OBE for his public and voluntary service in Suffolk Eddy was in the past a founding member of the RFU in Suffolk, an RFU past President and for many years made a significant contribution both as a county councillor and Chair of council and through his voluntary work in community again fully deserving of such an honour.”

General Secretary John Barton said:

“To have received such an award came as a total surprise but one which I shall always be extremely proud of. In accepting it, I do so as a tribute to my former colleagues at Wickhambrook Fire Station, whose enthusiasm, dedication and professionalism could never be challenged, to close colleagues Tristan, Jenny, Christine and Fran at Head Office and RFU Officials throughout the country who work silently on behalf of members on a daily basis.”