Hundreds of people across the country have been awarded honours by the Queen.

The release of the Queen’s Birthday Honours ahead of the Platinum Jubilee provides an opportunity to celebrate individual outstanding achievements and contributions to British society.

And dozens of people in Colchester – and further afield in Essex – have been handed honours.

In Colchester there were BEMs for Sudath Leon Dias, Linda Jane Dumbrell, Christine Lucock and George Thomas Johnson.

There were MBEs for Sandra Colston and Cherry Lucy McKean.

Here we look at who received recognition in our area.

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

  • Julia Muriel Brecknell-Prigg (Julia Prigg). Station Adoption Volunteer, Greater Anglia. For services to Community Rail in Wrabness, Essex. (Manningtree, Essex)
  • Sudath Leon Dias. Special Superintendent, Essex Police. For services to Policing. (Colchester, Essex)
  • Linda Jane Dumbrell. Community Matters Champion, Waitrose. For services to the community in Colchester, Essex. (Colchester, Essex)
  • Brenda Joyce Ellis. Chair, Community Voluntary Services Tendring. For services to the community in Clacton on Sea, Essex. (Clacton on Sea, Essex)
  • Sonia Wendy Grantham. For services to the community in St Osyth, Essex. (St Osyth, Essex)
  • Elizabeth Rebecca Gray. Nurse, East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust. For services to the NHS. (Felixstowe, Suffolk)
  • George Thomas Johnson. For services to the community in Colchester, Essex, particularly during Covid-19. (Colchester, Essex)
  • Angela Rosemary Khalil. Patron and Lately President, British Red Cross, Essex. For voluntary service. (Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire)
  • Christine Lucock. For services to the community in Great Tey, Essex. (Colchester, Essex)
  • Janet Elizabeth Menell. Councillor, Littlebury Parish Council, Essex. For services to the community in Uttlesford, Essex. (Saffron Walden, Essex)
  • Timothy James Neobard. For services to the community in Rochford, Essex, during Covid-19. (Rochford, Essex)
  • Roger James Pickett. Founder and Curator, Essex Fire Museum, Essex Fire and Rescue Service. For services to the community in Essex. (Aveley, Essex)
  • Anne Roberts. Parish Councillor and Volunteer, Little Chesterford. For charitable services to the community in Uttlesford, Essex. (Saffron Walden, Essex)
  • Derek Roy Whitbread. On-Call Watch Manager, Essex Fire and Rescue Service. For services to the community in Epping, Essex. (Epping, Essex)

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

  • Pranav Bhanot. Councillor, Chigwell Parish Council. For services to the Community in Chigwell, Essex. (Chigwell, Essex)
  • Mark Caldon. Secretary, UK Spoliation Advisory Panel. For services to Cultural Restoration. (Chelmsford, Essex)
  • Sandra Colston. Musical Director, Funky Voices. For services to Music, to Charity and to the community in East Anglia. (Colchester, Essex)
  • Melissa Dark. Casualty Bureau Manager and Disaster Victim Identification Coordinator, City of London Police. For services to Policing. (Manningtree, Essex)
  • Thomas Goodwin. Assistant Director, World Trade Organization Governance and Engagement, Department for International Trade. For services to Trade and to the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. (Saffron Walden, Essex)
  • Robert Joseph Lodge. Vice Chair and Trustee, Red Cypher Charity. For services to Veterans and their Families. (Weeley Heath, Essex)
  • Cherry Lucy McKean. For services to the community in Earls Colne, Essex during Covid-19. (Colchester, Essex)

Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

  • Avnish Mitter Goyal. Chair, Care England. For services to Social Care and to Philanthropy. (Billericay, Essex)

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

  • William Richard Mervyn Christopher Foyle DL. For services to Publishing, to Aviation and to Charity. (Maldon, Essex)