POLICE officers, nurses, volunteers and a former High Sheriff of Gwent are among the region's select few to have been recognised in the Queen’s birthday honours list.

They are among 1,149 people across Britain to have been honoured for a range of contributions to different sectors of society.

The former High Sheriff of Gwent, lieutenant colonel Andrew Tuggey, 68, has been given a British Empire Medal (BME) for his services to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the community in south-east Wales.

Based in Craig-y-Dorth in Monmouthshire, he was appointed as the High Sheriff in April, 2015 and recently finished up in the year-long post.

Lt Col Tuggey, a former soldier who commanded the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers, works as chief executive and secretary of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

In a job focused on international outreach and parliamentary diplomacy, he said it was a “very difficult secret to keep” after he was informed of the news last month.

“It all came entirely out of the blue," he said. "The letter came to me at home around six weeks ago and my wife opened it, scanned it and rang me up and told me to look at my emails.

“A lot of it is down to the excellent work of my team in Westminster and people who I deal with in south east Wales. It’s not only for me, as much as it’s for them.

“It was a huge surprise, a very nice surprise and quite humbling.”

One of the nurses to have been recognised is Tania Strange, from Pontypool, who qualified 24 years ago.

Mrs Strange has been given an OBE for her services to nursing care in south east Wales. A divisional nurse in primary care for Aneurin Bevan, she says that although she has set up a number of innovative groups, she was not sure exactly why she had been nominated.

She said: “All I can say is that I came into nursing to make a difference. To be awarded an OBE must demonstrate that I have.

“I think what I’ve done is to address a gap in services. I have always looked at a way to bridge the gap. I just follow what is the right thing to do for patients.”

Other healthcare professionals to be recognised with an OBE are:

• Jane Hart, from Caldicot, a Macmillan lead cancer nurse, who has been recognised for her services to the improvement of cancer care in south east Wales

• Professor Helen Houston, from Cwmbran, a professor of general practice at Cardiff University, who has been honoured for services to medical education and health services in south Wales.

Among the police officers honoured are Christine Wells-West, 48, from Caerphilly, who has been awarded a BME for services to policing – particularly the 2014 Nato Summit.

She said: “It would be fair to say that during my 25 years of service with the police force, the NATO summit was perhaps the pinnacle of my career.

“I was involved in a number of large events with Gwent Police as well – the European Summit in 2005 and the Ryder Cup in 2010 and that culminated with NATO in 2014.

“My role within NATO was in the logistics. It involved looking after around 400,000 meals across six different catering groups from Swindon to Swansea. Some mornings I would be getting up at 4am and going to bed at 2am the following day. It was definitely the cause of a few sleepless nights in the lead up to NATO.

“For a member of the policing team to receive recognition in this way is quite unusual. It is a fantastic honour for me to receive this award and I am extremely proud.

“I won’t be travelling to Buckingham Palace to collect the award as medal are distributed through the Lord Lieutenant’s Office.

“However, last year I was able to attend a garden party at the palace and I was put forward through my role within the police. I will going to a garden party next year as well.”

Another officer to have been recognised is chief superintendent David Thomas, whose been given a Queen’s police medal for distinguished service.

Pamela Guy, 65, from Risca, has been awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to music and charitable services in Newport.

Ms Guy set up the New Harmony Singers in January, 1979 with her close friend, Heather Langdon – who she has dedicated the award to.

The registered charity, which started with just 16 members, now has 50 singers and has raised more than £500,000 for charity in 37 years.

Giving her reaction to the award, Mrs Guy said: “I didn’t believe it when the notification came through initially, I really didn’t.

“Of course, you’re not allowed to say anything to anyone so you just read it and if it wasn’t for the horse guard parade on the envelope, I thought it might have been a wind up.

“You cannot say anything to anyone and you think, ‘Is it real?’”

John Rowlands, 76, of Devauden, has been honoured with a BME for his voluntary and charitable services both in Wales and abroad.

Born in Plymouth, where he worked as a regional director for Woolworths for 35 years, Mr Rowlands has been living in Devauden for 26 years where he is the Chair of the Hood Memorial Hall.

Mr Rowlands has raised “quite a lot of money” for various charities in the UK over the years, mainly the Children in Crisis being his chosen charity.

Abroad, Mr Rowlands has flown over to Vietnam several times to work with the Street Voices charity in Hanoi. The charity aims to educate children that have been abandoned by their parents and live on the streets of the city.

Speaking about his honour, he said: “At first I thought it was a wind-up, I didn’t believe it. I don’t think I’ve done any exceptional.

“It’s a privilege to be awarded this honour.”

Sarah Byford, 71, from Usk, has received an OBE for voluntary services to grassland societies and rural communities.

Ms Byford has been the secretary of the Monmouthshire Grassland Society for more than 40 years, a justice of the peace for 10 years and a rainbow guider since 1994. She is an avid supporter of the Federation of Welsh Grassland Societies and was elected chair for the year 2002.

She says the award is as much for her fellow volunteers and those she has helped.

She said: “I’ve known for nearly a month now and it’s still a shock. I can’t really believe it. I’m very honoured.

“The involvement I’ve had with all the different organisations is voluntary but it’s enhanced my life. I feel I’ve got more out of it than I’ve put in.

“As long as I can physically and mentally carry on with what I’m involved with, then bring it on as I’m not ready to put my feet up yet.”

Among the Welsh sporting figures to have been honoured are record-breaking referee Nigel Owens and WRU president Dennis Gethin, who have been recognised for their services to rugby.

West-Walian Owens, who today becomes the game’s most capped official when he takes charge of his 71st Test match, receives an MBE.

Former Swansea, Neath and Cardiff full-back Gethin, meanwhile - the president of the Welsh Rugby Union since 2007 - is made an OBE.

Elsewhere in Britain, the famous names to have been honoured include Dame Vera Lynn, who has been given a Companion of Honour (CH); singer Rod Stewart, who receives a knighthood; and presenting duo Ant and Dec, who have been awarded an OBE.