Britain’s sporting talent is celebrated in the New Year’s Honours list which also provides recognition for some of Britain’s famous and not so well known sporting heroes.
Others honoured include coaches, administrators and the people who work tirelessly at grassroots level encouraging and nurturing young talent and without whom those famous sports stars could not have achieved greatness.
Some of them are ex-sportsmen and women who have used their experience to put something back into sport whilst others are largely anonymous outside of their own institutions or communities.
Here are just some of them:
CBE
Francis Baron, For services to Sport,
Joe Brown, MBE, For services to Rock Climbing and to Mountaineering,
George Kerr, For services to Judo
OBE
Kevan Baker, Chairman of WheelPower. For voluntary service to Disability Sports.
Mike Catt, M.B.E. For services to Rugby.
Ronald Watt, For services to Karate.
MBE
Mrs Joyce Andrews, For voluntary service to Wimbledon and Merton Swimming Club.
Miss Norma Blaine. For services to Athletics
Mrs Elizabeth Broomhead. For voluntary service to Netball.
Malcolm Danby. For voluntary service to School Football in Teesside.
Ray French. For services to Rugby League.
Mrs Sylvia Grice, For services to Swimming and to the community in Ripon, North Yorkshire.
Robert Jackson. For voluntary service to Cricket in the North East.
Ivor Jess. For services to Disability Sport in Northern Ireland.
Ms Jennifer Leyland. For services to Grass Roots Football in
Merseyside.
Dr. David Marsh. For voluntary service to Amateur Golf.
Graeme McDowell. For services to Golf.
James McIlroy. For services to Football and to Charity.
Dr. Tracey Menzies. For services to Women’s Hockey.
Aslie Pitter. For voluntary service to Stonewall Football Club.
Peter Walker. For services to Cricket.
Howard Webb, Referee. For services to Football.
Congratulations to all those honoured and thanks to the many thousands like them who are no less deserving and without whom British sport could not function.