Three Powys residents awarded honours by King Charles III
A former Powys firefighter who helped keep his community safe for 35 years has been an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours list.
Steve Amor, who was watch manager at Llanwrtyd Wells Fire Station until his retirement last year, has received the award in recognition for his services to the community in Mid Wales.
Steve's journey began in 1988 as a firefighter, with a promotion to crew manager a decade later. He then rose to the challenge of watch manager in 2011 until he hung up his helmet for the last time in April 2024.
He was known in the community for volunteering his time and knowledge, promoting fire safety and first aid awareness.
Steve is among three Powys residents who have been recognised for their contribution to their community and country in The King's Birthday Honours list on Friday (June 13).
Clive Thomas, from Brecon, is also made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). The assistant head of estates in Wales and the West Midlands at Defence Infrastructure Organisation has been recognised for services to defence and to reservist troops.
Also named in the birthday honours list is Llandrindod Wells ' Richard Knight who receives a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to nature conservation in Rhayader and Powys.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: 'This year's Birthday Honours List is a powerful reminder of the extraordinary dedication, compassion, and service that exists in every corner of our country.
"From community champions to cultural icons, each recipient reflects the very best of Britain. I extend my heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to them all.'
The Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, added: "Huge congratulations to the incredible individuals from Wales who have been recognised in The King's Birthday Honours List.
'Each award recipient has demonstrated dedication, passion, and commitment to their communities, making significant contributions that resonate far and wide.
"Your work in supporting vulnerable people, championing the arts, increasing access to sport and improving lives in countless ways, serves as an inspiration to all. Thank you for your exceptional service.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
42 minutes ago
- BBC News
Lymington RNLI volunteer recognised in King's Honours list
A dedicated volunteer has been recognised in the King's Birthday Hayward, from Lymington in Hampshire, has been honoured with a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in recognition of 44 years of unwavering commitment to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).Aged 18 when he joined the Lymington lifeboat crew in 1981, he was appointed helm (in command of the boat) three years later."When the [honours] letter arrived from the Cabinet Office, I had to read it several times before it sank in. I'm still reading it to make sure it's correct," he said. Mr Hayward added: "I don't think I could have been more elated and humbled at the same time. "It would not have been possible without my family, friends and all at Lymington Lifeboat Station who have supported me over the last 44 years. "Being part of the RNLI family is a privilege." Throughout his time with the RNLI, Mr Hayward has trained many other members of the 1995, he took on the role of station mechanic, ensuring the lifeboat, launch vehicle and equipment were maintained to the highest possible standard and ready at a moment's 2011, he also became a deputy launch authority, providing a critical link between the Coastguard and lifeboat. Steve Billett, Lymington's lifeboat chairman, said: "What Nick has - and continues to achieve - is a shining example of what volunteering and commitment to the community really means."RNLI chief executive Peter Sparkes said: "I am so pleased to see this national recognition right across the RNLI, from the frontline delivery of our lifesaving services to our shops and fundraising groups." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Leader Live
3 hours ago
- Leader Live
‘Brilliant role model' and veteran ‘never imagined' being honoured at 106
Norman Irwin, described by his friends as inspirational and a brilliant role model, served in north Africa during the Second World War before going on to make a difference in his home town of Coleraine. He helped to form the Coleraine Winemakers Club, recalling initially using nettles and dandelions, as well as becoming one of the founders of the town's Rotary Club and the Agivey Anglers Association. Mr Irwin is the oldest person to be recognised in this year's Kings Birthday Honours, and is just one of three recipients over the last 10 years aged 106, as well as being Northern Ireland's oldest man. He said he was very proud to be recognised with a British Empire Medal (BEM), adding it had come as a big surprise, joking he was 'getting on a bit'. Born just a few days after the end of the First World War in 1918, Mr Irwin went on to serve in the Second World War, volunteering in April 1939 to join the Coleraine Battery of the Royal Artillery as a gunner. He described the battlefield in north Africa as stretching thousands of miles and getting chased across the desert by German troops in tanks. The sand presented a major challenge, he described, in terms of logistics, and he even engineered his own guns when they lost the tools to maintain them. 'We lost the tools for them in the sand, so we made our own – you learned to adapt to it very very quickly, you just had to get on with it,' he said. 'You do what you have to do in times of need. 'We were all volunteers here (in Northern Ireland), we weren't conscripted, so we all just went off en masse as our own decision. We never imagined what it was going to be like. 'People talk about the desert rats, but it didn't really get the same coverage as France. 'The First World War took a lot, and the Second World War took even more, terrible times.' Mr Irwin said the sheer distances involved in the conflict in north Africa is often what surprises people the most. 'People just didn't understand the distances when they talk about the Germans when they chased us back across north Africa, it was about 1,500 miles,' he said. 'They all think it's a small localised battle, but it wasn't, it was over a 1,500- 2,000-mile stretch. 'When they chased us back across the desert, they had tanks and we didn't have any, we couldn't cope with those, couldn't fight them, the only thing to do was to leave. 'Then we got reorganised and prepared, and we chased them back across again. The armoured divisions arrived once they realised what we were up against.' He went on to become one of the founding members of the new Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) in October 1942 and he was soon promoted to sergeant. 'I was demobbed at the end of the war and came back home to Northern Ireland, and got a job as an engineer in a local factory and it all went from there,' he said. 'Everything that we did in the forces had an application in industry.' Back home, Mr Irwin helped form the Coleraine Winemakers club in the early 1960s. 'It was beer and wine, home hobbies at the time were quite the thing, and of course people would say to others, 'what do you think of my wine', so we formed a wine club had competitions for people who made wine out of nettles and dandelions, and all sorts of things we could find in the fields,' he said. 'It was quite potent. 'It moved on from that to a higher level, using grapes.' Asked about the held esteem he is held in, Mr Irwin responded: 'People say these things, I wouldn't put myself in that category. 'I enjoyed all those things as well, of course.'
The Independent
5 hours ago
- The Independent
‘Brilliant role model' and veteran ‘never imagined' being honoured at 106
Northern Ireland's oldest man has said he had never expected to receive an honour from the King at the age of 106. Norman Irwin, described by his friends as inspirational and a brilliant role model, served in north Africa during the Second World War before going on to make a difference in his home town of Coleraine. He helped to form the Coleraine Winemakers Club, recalling initially using nettles and dandelions, as well as becoming one of the founders of the town's Rotary Club and the Agivey Anglers Association. Mr Irwin is the oldest person to be recognised in this year's Kings Birthday Honours, and is just one of three recipients over the last 10 years aged 106, as well as being Northern Ireland's oldest man. He said he was very proud to be recognised with a British Empire Medal (BEM), adding it had come as a big surprise, joking he was 'getting on a bit'. Born just a few days after the end of the First World War in 1918, Mr Irwin went on to serve in the Second World War, volunteering in April 1939 to join the Coleraine Battery of the Royal Artillery as a gunner. He described the battlefield in north Africa as stretching thousands of miles and getting chased across the desert by German troops in tanks. The sand presented a major challenge, he described, in terms of logistics, and he even engineered his own guns when they lost the tools to maintain them. 'We lost the tools for them in the sand, so we made our own – you learned to adapt to it very very quickly, you just had to get on with it,' he said. 'You do what you have to do in times of need. 'We were all volunteers here (in Northern Ireland), we weren't conscripted, so we all just went off en masse as our own decision. We never imagined what it was going to be like. ' People talk about the desert rats, but it didn't really get the same coverage as France. 'The First World War took a lot, and the Second World War took even more, terrible times.' Mr Irwin said the sheer distances involved in the conflict in north Africa is often what surprises people the most. 'People just didn't understand the distances when they talk about the Germans when they chased us back across north Africa, it was about 1,500 miles,' he said. 'They all think it's a small localised battle, but it wasn't, it was over a 1,500- 2,000-mile stretch. 'When they chased us back across the desert, they had tanks and we didn't have any, we couldn't cope with those, couldn't fight them, the only thing to do was to leave. 'Then we got reorganised and prepared, and we chased them back across again. The armoured divisions arrived once they realised what we were up against.' He went on to become one of the founding members of the new Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) in October 1942 and he was soon promoted to sergeant. 'I was demobbed at the end of the war and came back home to Northern Ireland, and got a job as an engineer in a local factory and it all went from there,' he said. 'Everything that we did in the forces had an application in industry.' Back home, Mr Irwin helped form the Coleraine Winemakers club in the early 1960s. 'It was beer and wine, home hobbies at the time were quite the thing, and of course people would say to others, 'what do you think of my wine', so we formed a wine club had competitions for people who made wine out of nettles and dandelions, and all sorts of things we could find in the fields,' he said. 'It was quite potent. 'It moved on from that to a higher level, using grapes.' Asked about the held esteem he is held in, Mr Irwin responded: 'People say these things, I wouldn't put myself in that category. 'I enjoyed all those things as well, of course.'
