Fens cycling star Jody Cundy and a former Chatteris student Darren Mott who is now the director of campaigns for the Conservative Party are among those recognised in ‘the most diverse ever’ New Year’s Honours lists.
A spokesman for the honours said: “In the almost 100-year history of the Order of the British Empire there has never been a greater number of individuals from a black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) background.
“In total 1,197 people received an award.
“It is the most diverse ever list.”
Jody now has an OBE, eight years after being recognised with an MBE following his success at the 2008 games in Beijing, where he also won double gold.
The 38-year-old added to his medals tally with two golds at last summer’s Paralympics in Rio.
Mr Mott, a former Cromwell Community College, Chatteris, student has receives the OBE for his work for the Conservative Party.
He studied at Cromwell from 1984 to 1989 before taking A levels at Neale Wade, March, from 1989 to 1991. He began his career in the Conservative Party more than 20 years ago as a trainee agent in the Suffolk Coastal, Milton Keynes, Nottingham and Erewash constituencies.
He took on the role of director of campaigning after the 2015 election.
In the Ely area two women are recognised with OBEs.
They are Julia Nix, the district manager for the work services directorate at the Department for Work and Pensions, for services to tackling youth unemployment in East Anglia.
Ms Nix, who was nominated last year for a top award within the Civil Service, is widely credited for providing the leadership that has contributed to the lowest level of unemployment in the East region in 40 years.
Also recognised with an OBE is Donna Cornwell, the associate head teacher at Swaffham Bulbeck Church of England Primary School, for services to education.
In the Newmarket area, awards go to racehorse trainer John Gosden (OBE) and Jane Green (BEM), for services to the community in Dalham.
OBEs are given to Brian Gale, director of policy and campaigns for the National Deaf Children’s Society for services to special educational needs in Cambridgeshire.
Also to Richard Guy for services to justice, mental health support and the community in Cambridgeshire, to Professor David Vaughan, a glaciologist for the British Antarctic Survey for services to Glaciology.
Dr Christopher Wiesner, chief executive of the Welding Institute for services to engineering and innovation in Cambridgeshire and to Dr Lorna Williamson, lately director of the NHS Blood and Transplant service for services to the advancement of blood, tissue and stem cell donations at Harston, Cambridgeshire.
Locally, MBEs go to Timothy Burgess, chief executive officer of the Foundation of Edward Storey for voluntary services in Cambridgeshire. Also to Wendy Duchesne for services to developing child friendly immigration systems for the Home Office , to Sylvia Morris, the founder and chair of the Karen Morris Memorial Trust in Stapleford, for services to leukaemia patients and their families.
MBEs also go to Peter Reeve, a councillor with Huntingdonshire District Council for services to local government and the community in Ramsey and to Louis Rolfe for services to cycling in the county.
A British Empire Medal goes to Jane Coston for services to the community in Milton, Mohammed Farooq for services to fundraising and providing meals to disadvantaged children in Peterborough and to Brian Gascoyne for services to community cohesion in Peterborough.
A BEM goes to former county councillor Geoffrey Heathcock JP for services to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the community in Cambridgeshire, to Denise Speakman, treasurer of the Ethos Home Office Sports and Social Association for public service in Peterborough.
Of those awarded in the honours list, 74 per cent are people who have undertaken outstanding work in their communities either in a voluntary or paid capacity.
There are 603 successful women candidates in the list, representing just over half of the total.
There are a number of well known names being honoured in this list including a knighthood for musician Ray Davies of The Kinks, a knighthood for Ken Dodd, for services to entertainment and to charity and an OBE for fashion designer Victoria Beckham.
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