Abergavenny town and Monmouthshire county councillor Maureen Powell, aged 84, who is also a governor at King Henry VIII School was named in this year’s New Year’s Honours list.

The Castle ward councillor and former town mayor was awarded a BEM.

Cllr Powell has attended no less than 43 out of 44 council meetings over the last 12 months, having been chairwoman of the county authority in 2012 and 2017.

She admitted she was “astonished” to be offered the award and said: “It came as a surprise to me, but at the same time I feel very honoured.

“I spend so much of my time supporting other people and I try to answer all of the calls my constituents make to me.

“If I can’t solve it myself, I pass it to the department that can.”

Cllr Powell sits on several council committees, including planning, and often volunteers at local community events.

“I’ve always been very pleased to work with other people,” added the Welsh Conservative councillor, who says she intends to stand in the May elections.

“Obviously everything doesn’t always go smooth, but I’ve found being a councillor very rewarding. I love helping people and doing things.”

Prolific charity fundraiser Gerald ‘Ged’ Beaumont from Usk and Magor was recognised for services to people with disabilities in Wales with a British Empire Medal.

The 62-year-old, who even dressed up as a Lancaster bomber to do a 180-mile VE Day bike ride that raised £2,000 for charity, has helped hundreds of people since 2007 through fundraising, working as a handyman, providing fitness and wellbeing support, and administrative duties.

Having previously raised £60,000 for charity, he helped raise more than £40,000 through organising and taking part in Tour De Cymru in 2017 and 2018, riding with other cyclists 350 miles in four days to all the Leonard Cheshire bases in Wales before rolling in to the finish at the Geraint Thomas Velodrome in Newport.

Since then, some of the cash raised has helped found ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ for the Disabled, which has now been awarded National Lottery funding.

During the current pandemic, he also delivered PPE supplies across Wales, to frontline staff, sometimes driving through the night.

His 75th anniversary VE Day ride in 2020 saw him cycle circuits around the local caravan park to raise cash to help buy IT equipment to help tackle loneliness and isolation amongst disabled people.

Awarded an MBE is Professor Euan Hails, a consultant nurse within the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board in Gwent with responsibility for leading and developing nursing and health professionals and developing and leading clinical practice that is psychologically and research-based.

Professor Hails, aged 55, has spent a career helping those in need, leading the development of the national Early Intervention Psychosis (EIP) services across Wales and has been recognised for services to children and young people’s mental health in Wales.

Mother-of-two Kate Mavor, 59, from Crickhowell, who is chief executive of the English Heritage Trust, has been made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for services to Heritage.

Ms Mavor was previously chief executive of the National Trust for Scotland, where she transformed the charity’s fortunes, introducing a five-year-plan to restore its financial stability and giving it a new sense of purpose.

Elsewhere in Monmouthshire awards included Dr Jenny Harries who was appointed as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to health.

She was appointed OBE in the 2016 New Year Honours.

Monmouth-born Dr Harries is chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, which combines Public Health England and NHS Test and Trace.

Dr Harries shot to public attention last year, giving live updates in daily press conferences at Downing Street on the Covid-19 pandemic.

She was a regional director at Public Health England, and then Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England from June 2019 to April 2021.

She also served on the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and brings a wealth of public health knowledge and expertise gained from working in the NHS and local government at local, regional and national levels.

Dr Harries also played central roles in the UK’s response to Ebola, Zika, monkeypox, MERS and the Novichok attacks.

Mrs Jessica Miles, Headmistress at Monmouth School for Girls, said: “Dr Harries is an inspiration to pupils at Monmouth School for Girls.

“As a school community, we are very proud of how Dr Harries has led the country’s response during this pandemic, and are delighted that her outstanding work has been recognised in the New Year Honours.”

Civil Service Sports Council Group chief executive Simon Lee from Monmouthshire has been named as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2022 New Year’s Honours list. Development executive Hedley Featherstone, was also named on this year’s list, which recognises individuals who have provided long-term, significant services to their communities.

Simon Lee has led CSSC since 2012 and has transformed the organisation, which supports over 140,000 civil servants across the UK to lead healthier lives, delivering consistent membership growth every year. It is under Simon’s leadership that CSSC began offering members free access to English Heritage sites, as well as pioneering their market leading discounts platform which includes 3,000 ways to save. In 2019, Simon signed the Armed Forces Covenant to reinforce the relationship enjoyed between CSSC and the Services since 1922. Simon has been recognised for services to sport and wellbeing.

On 4 November 2021, CSSC turned 100 years old. Throughout 2021, the organisation has been marking its centenary year with a series of special events nationally and locally, including a reception at Kensington Palace in September, hosted by CSSC’s Royal Patron, HRH The Duchess of Gloucester, in the presence of key volunteers and members as well as the publication of a special edition book documenting CSSC’s first 100 years.