A WARTIME RAF pilot and former proprietor of Lansdown Garage, Graham Furley, has been awarded a British Empire Medal in the Queen’s New Years Honours List in recognition of his services to the community in Stroud.

Mr Furley, who has worked tirelessly to raise funds for charity both as a member of Stroud Rotary Club and as part of the Stroud Hospitals League of Friends, said he was ‘most flattered’ to receive the honour and described it as ‘quite a thrill’.

A Rotarian since 1968, the 91-year-old is probably best known for his part in the club’s Christmas collection, which every year sees him assemble Santa’s float and tow it along behind his white VW Beetle to raise money for charity.

"I received an email about four weeks ago asking me if I would object if my name was put forward for an honour," said Mr Furley who served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

"I filled in the form and returned it saying I would not and I thought who on earth put my name forward for that. It was an absolute mystery.

"But it is quite a thrill because I never did imagine that I would receive this. I have had a lot of emails and best wishes since I heard the news and I am most flattered."

Also awarded an OBE was Stroud-based energy entrepreneur Juliet Davenport, founder and chief executive of the UK’s leading renewable energy supplier, Good Energy, for services to renewable electricity supplies.

Good Energy, based in Wiltshire, is the first dedicated 100 per cent renewable electricity supplier.

Ms Davenport, who has an MA from Oxford and an MSc from Birkbeck College, London, said: "Getting an OBE is a real honour, but it wouldn't have been possible without all the people involved with Good Energy over the years, including all of our customers and renewable generators.

"It's a great time to be part of the renewable sector in the UK. Our exciting, innovative and inspirational renewable energy community continues to go from strength to strength.

"Here at Good Energy we're looking forward to bringing the benefits of that to more and more people, making renewables more mainstream."

The success of Good Energy has seen Ms Davenport rise to become an influential figure whose opinions are helping to shape government policy and make their mark on the future of renewable energy in the UK.

She regularly meets with members of the Government and opposition to put the case for a strong energy policy, which supports the growth of renewable technologies.

Wildfowl & Wetland’s Trust’s chief executive, Martin Spray, has expressed his surprise and pride at being awarded a CBE for his work in wildlife conservation.

Mr Spray has devoted half his career to working for conservation organisations and has been with WWT since 2004.

Mr Spray, reacting to news of being awarded a CBE, said: "From a personal point of view I’m a bit overwhelmed and extremely proud to receive this, especially as it is awarded on the recommendations of others.

"I’m also thrilled to see that the importance of work in wildlife conservation has been recognised in this way.

"I think I have been part of a team at WWT that has ensured the organisation goes from strength to strength, and that we are always carrying out the vision and work which our founder Sir Peter Scott would have wanted."

Mr Spray spent the first part of his career in the government sector in a variety of managerial positions.

In 1988 he moved into the conservation world as area manager with the World Wide Fund for Nature and three years later to the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust as its first Chief Executive. Prior to moving to WWT he was seconded to the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts as its acting chief executive.

Berkeley resident Joan Clark, the deputy director general of The British Holiday & Home Parks Association which represents an estimated 80 per cent of licensed caravan and self-catering pitches in the UK from its Gloucester HQ, earned an MBE for services to tourism.

A prominent voice for the tourism industry, Mrs Clark’s organisation successfully lobbied the Government to reverse its planned 20 per cent VAT hike on static caravans.

The Gloucestershire-based trio of Charlotte Dujardin, Laura Bechtolsheimer and Carl Hester, who won gold at last summer’s London Olympics, were honoured for services to equestrianism.

Bechtolsheimer and Hester each received an MBE, whilst Dujardin was appointed an OBE.

Ian Coley, the manager of the British shooting team at the London Olympics, was also honoured with an MBE for services to target shooting.

Gloucestershire’s outgoing chief constable Mick Matthews was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal.

The county’s most senior police officer, who took over the role on a temporary basis after Tony Melville resigned in protest at government cuts, is moving to Cyprus to take up a new job early in the New Year.

David Penlington, whose work involves protecting soldiers on the frontline from improvised explosive devices (IED’s), was honoured with an OBE for services to the Armed Forces, particularly in support of Afghanistan operations.

Anthea Dolman-Gair and Professor Derek Aviss were also each honoured with an OBE. The former for services to defence acquisition and the latter for services to higher and music education.