PHOTOS: Meet the Hampshire residents making it onto the New Year's honours list

Now, the mother of two has been recognised for the significant service to charitable fundraising and community work in Brockenhurst by the Queen.

She said: “It is a little bit embarrassing because so many people work on the fundraisers but it has been a real honour.”

Elaine was nominated by two people for the work she has done for Help For Heroes and in Brockenhurst Primary School.

When Elaine’s sons, Laurence and Mark, were pupils at the school she helped to raise £40,000 to create permanent classrooms instead of Portacabins.

Since then she has worked as a volunteer fundraiser the charity that helps servicemen and women, as well as their families. She has organised art exhibitions in 2015, 2011 and 2013, and raised more than £100,000 for H4H.

And although Elaine had no contacts with the art world until she started organising these biannual events, she soon made contacts with artists and was able to raise a significant amount of money for the charity.

“Fundraising is important to me because it is a way for lots of people to become involved. Whether it is time or money, someone can make a small contribution which makes a big difference to someone else’s life,” she said.

Earlier this year, Elaine was also recognised by the co-founders Help For Heroes Bryn and Emma Parry, who commemorated her contribution to the charity.

• Hampshire’s double Olympic medallist Ian Walker has been named as a Member of the British Empire in the new year’s honours list.

The 40-year-old, from Warsash, has been recognised for his contribution to Olympic and international competitive sailing.

Ian won silver medals at both the Atlanta games in 1996 and Sydney in 2000. The sailor has also coached the 2004 gold medal winning team of Shirley Robertson in Athens.

Ian said: “It’s such a proud moment for me to spend with my family and friends, it’s a recognition beyond my sport. I wasn’t expecting it at all, I thought this year had been quite quiet for me!”

“With all the success in Rio, it’s been a great year and it’s lovely to have some good news for my mum as I lost my dad this year. Perhaps it’s an accumulation of achievements throughout my life but it’s a wonderful achievement for me.”

Ian also won the 2015 Volvo Ocean Race, setting a 24-hour distance record of 550 nautical miles in the process when approaching Cape Horn in Chile.

• Hampshire’s Michael Pragnell, chairman of Cancer Research UK, received the CBE for his services to research into the disease.

Sir Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, said: “On behalf of the trustees, staff, volunteers and supporters of Cancer Research UK, we would like extend our congratulations to Michael Pragnell who has been made a CBE in the new year’s honours list.

“Michael stepped down as chairman of Cancer Research UK in October 2016, after holding the position for six years. During that time, he provided us with tremendous support and guidance, helping us to make great progress in our efforts to pioneer new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.

“We’re all extremely pleased for Michael, this honour is highly deserved.”

• SHE gives up her time to help those less fortunate.

Now, as part of the New Year’s Honours, Isobel Gatward is to be awarded a British Empire Medal for her services to charity.

The current president of Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre Trust, Isobel has been dedicated to supporting the venue in many different ways.

In 1987 she become a member of the original Mayflower Theatre Trust Board, and after chairing the fundraising committee for a TVS Gala at the theatre in support of Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, she was invited to become the chair of the trust.

Speaking about her BEM, Isobel said: “I am delighted to receive this award and feel I am accepting it on behalf of Mayflower Theatre.

“I have been very proud of how the theatre has grown and developed over the last 30 years and I am honoured that my role in its development has been acknowledged in such a special way.”

Isobel, who lives in Lymington, comes from a theatrical family background of writers and actors. She had a long and varied career in the 1960s as actress Isobel Black, working in theatre, film and TV ranging from Miranda in The Tempest to filming with Morecambe and Wise. She also starred in The Troubleshooters, where she met and her future husband, director James Gatward.

While bringing up her family she helped found Shakespeare’s Language – a small group of actors involved in educational workshops in schools and colleges.

Michael Ockwell, chief executive of Mayflower Theatre, added: “I am thrilled that Isobel has been recognised for all her hard work over the years. From her career as an actress to when she came on board to help create Mayflower Theatre’s charitable trust in 1986, she has dedicated her life to the service of the arts in our region.”

• RICHARD Cheetham, from Alresford, a senior fellow in Sports Studies at the University of Winchester, has become an MBE for services to education and community sport.

Mr Cheetham has worked in Winchester since 2005 and previously spent three years teaching and coaching in New Zealand.

His research focuses on a more holistic approach to coaching with time spent since 2013 at Saracens RFC within the academy programme and more recently at Fulham Football Club.

He has developed a strong reputation in creative thinking and innovation within coach education and development. Alongside writing publications he has also presented his applied research at the UK Coaching Summit, Project500 coaching initiative, Nottinghamshire Talented Coaches Programme and the English Institute of Sport.

He has gained recognition nationally and internationally within coach education and has been invited to speak to British Cycling, Cycling Ireland, England Handball and the England Cricket Coaches Association.

Since May 2014 he has worked with the UCI World Cycling Elite Coach Education Programme in Switzerland.

• HE HAS helped forge the path for businesses to take advantage of new technologies.

Dr David Watson, director of IBM Research, is to become a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to science and engineering research.

Based at IBM Hursley, Dr Watson also has a long history of involvement with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the body that funds around £1 billion of research a year in UK universities.

EPSRC supports subjects as diverse as chemistry, IT, materials, mathematics, physics, engineering, and electronics. His work with the council started in 2004 when he joined the industrial advisory panel of EPSRC.

In 2007 he became chair of the Research Councils UK Digital Economy Advisory Board and was also appointed to council, the governing body of EPSRC, in 2009. His term was extended for a further four years in 2013. At that time, he joined the audit and risk assurance committee, a group he has chaired since 2014.

“I am immensely proud to have been given this honour,” said Dr Watson, who lives in Romsey.

“My work over the past 12 years with EPSRC has been very enriching and enjoyable in both a personal and business capacity. It is very interesting to be involved in how the UK handles the next generation of technological change.”

• A Hampshire business centre manager has been recognised for her corporate fundraising and charity work in the new year’s honours list.

Teena Munden, who works for Ordnance Survey in Southampton, will receive the British Empire Medal after raising more than £45,000 over the last three years for various charities.

Teena, 37, organised more than 100 separate events in 2015 and 2016 including a charity ball at Southampton FC’s St Mary’s stadium, doubling the previous year’s figures and raising money for Holding Little Hands.

The Southampton Hospital Charity is set up for parents supporting those at the hospital’s neonatal unit.

Over the past three years, Ordnance Survey has raised more than £46,000 for different community charities, with Teena’s work in raising the funds being rewarded with the BEM.

• TWO Hampshire residents have been recognised for their work for the Royal Navy in the new year’s honours list.

Robert Robson, the chief executive officer of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, has been awarded an OBE for his services to fundraising.

Having held the position for the last nine years, he has personally led its growth from inception to become the nationally recognised naval charity, ensuring hundreds of beneficiaries have enjoyed a substantial improvement to their quality of life.

Kevin Shaw, senior executive officer at the Ministry of Defence, has been recognised for his services to the Royal Navy.

Since 2012, Kevin has been the deputy captain of Portsmouth’s naval base and is recognised across the 13,000-strong work force as the man to resolve challenges and drive business improvement.

Kevin’s legacy is set to be the work that has been developed to ensure Portsmouth’s base is ready for the arrival of the Queen Elizabeth Class Carriers.

The MOD officer is set to be recognised as a Member of the British Empire as a reflection of his work at the base.

• A Hampshire naval officer has been awarded a CBE for her medical work in the services.

Commodore Inga Kennedy, who lives in Fareham, has been honoured her role as inspector general of the Defence Medical Services.

Responsible for inspecting medical departments across the armed forces, Inga covers everything from the sick bay of a naval base to medical units deployed abroad and ships at sea.

She said: “I feel shocked and quite emotional to have been given this honour, it’s not something I ever thought I would receive. It came completely out of the blue but I feel humbled and privileged to receive it, particularly as I was a reasonably late entry to the Royal Navy.”

Inga is one of the most senior ranking women in the Royal Navy, and next year the naval service celebrates the centenary of the formation of the Women’s Royal Naval Service.”

• A former New Forest district councillor, John Hutchins from New Milton has been recognised for his work within the community with the award of the British Empire Medal.

John, 85, adds this accolade to a catalogue of achievements. The self-employed electrical engineer and has lived in New Milton all his life and ran an electrical business in the High Street for 39 years.

He served for 36 years as a retained fireman in the town, 16 of those years as officer in charge.

He also served 25 years as Justice of the Peace. and was a New Milton Town councillor and town mayor and served two terms as chairman of New Forest District Council.

He also organised the New Milton Carnival for 12 years.

A committee member of the New Milton Conservative Club for 60 years, having served as its chairman and president, he today holds the title of honorary president.

• WALES manager Chris Coleman, who lives in Winchester and achieved miracles taking the national team all the way to the semi-finals, has been given an OBE in the honours list.

Wales beat Slovakia, Russia and Northern Ireland, and their final victory in the quarter finals was perhaps the most spectacular as Coleman’s side beat the odds to claim a stunning 3-1 win over a strong Belgium side.

The success came after the team was in turmoil following the tragic death of former boss Gary Speed.

Coleman was the successor to Speed and was appointed in 2012. He has transformed the fortunes of Wales, and recently signed a contract extension until 2018.

Coleman lives in Winchester with his TV presenter wife Charlotte Jackson and their baby daughter.

• THE WOMAN who has dedicated her life to foster caring in Southampton has been honoured for her work in the new year’s honours list.

Judy Deighton is a Hampshire County Council foster carer and has been taking care of children for 34 years at her home in West End. She has been made a Member of the British Empire.

Since becoming a carer for HCC in 1982, she has provided placements for more than 25 children and has provided a stable long term home for six of them, including two 12-year-old twins.

The first baby that Judy took care of, Louise, is now her daughter after Judy adopted her at the age of 12.

Judy, 69, said: “I’m just totally shocked and I’m not sure who’s responsible! No way was I expecting something like this. When the letter came through the post I thought it was a speeding fine. It still hasn’t sunk in.

“I never thought I’d be doing it for this length of time. I was born to be a mum, that’s how I look at it. I was trained as a nurse but when I went back into it, the profession wasn’t what it used to be and I decided to become a foster carer.”

Judy has never asked for a child to be placed into respite care and has been completely child focused and committed to helping babies come through any trauma they have suffered.

Approaching her 35-year anniversary, Judy gives no indication that she’s ready to slow down.

Judy said: “I have a friend who’s still doing it at the ripe old age of 78, so I’m hoping I have a few good years left!”

Judy believes that every child at the age of four should have the opportunity to visit Lapland and has tried to ensure that each child in her case has had that opportunity.

In the past five years, Judy has moved seven babies on to adoption or to family members, with three of them suffering from substance and medication withdrawal.

Despite some of the challenges that Judy has faced, the 69-year-old wants more people to look into being a foster carer, whether it’s short or long term.

“There’s not enough young people interested, and I had my first foster child Louise when she was 17 months old. 34 years later, she’s still with me, I was born to do this.”