ATTLEBOROUGH man Derek Chadbon has spoken of his delight at being made an OBE for services to the Fire and Rescue Service in the Queen's Birthday honours announced last week.

ATTLEBOROUGH man Derek Chadbon has spoken of his delight at being made an OBE for services to the Fire and Rescue Service in the Queen's Birthday honours announced last week.

Mr Chadbon, 66, spent 10 years as general secretary of the Retained Firefighters Union before retiring last year.

Before that he served as a retained firefighter in Attleborough and worked full time as head of non-uniform staff at Hethersett.

He said: “I am absolutely delighted. It came as a complete surprise. After all these years something like this happens completely unexpectedly.”

When Gloria Buckley, 66, created a travellers' site at Beck Row, Suffolk, for herself and family and other travellers, little did she know it would see her help create two other sites and go on to work with regional organisations to help improve facilities across the region.

She said it was a great honour to have been recognised by being made an MBE for services to community relations as part of her work as a member of the Norfolk Gypsy and Traveller Liaison Group.

The Beck Row site has been seen as a model of community integration and she has gone on to help bodies like the East of England Regional Assembly form policy to help create travellers' stopping places.

“It is a surprise, I thought it was a joke,” she said. “But I feel like what I've done has been recognised. That's the nice thing.”

Lynne Kemp, 39, has been involved with the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) for 26 years and an instructor for nine years. She teaches with Buckenham House Group RDA at Middle Farm Equestrian at East Harling and has been made an MBE for her services to the group.

She said: “This has come as a complete surprise. I was 14 when I started helping with the RDA and I really enjoy it. I am a rider myself and I enjoy the challenge of getting disabled riders to achieve the same as able-bodied riders.”

Jocelyn Rawlence, 86, has been made an MBE for voluntary service to the community in Pulham Market.

Mrs Rawlence is a former chairman of South Norfolk District Council and former president of South Norfolk Liberal Democrats.

Hilary Hardy, Mrs Rawlence's daughter, said that her mother suffered a stroke two years ago which had affected her right side and speech. But she said her mother was aware she would be receiving the award and was absolutely delighted.

“She has been so brave and is very on the ball. She is thrilled about this,” she said.

Mrs Rawlence was involved with the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and the Off The Record counselling service as well as regularly being involved in various community events, projects and committees. She founded the Pulham Market Society and was president of the Norfolk Association for the Disabled. Her family would like to thank people from the village for their support.