Residents celebrate New Year s Honours joy (From Barry And District News)

Residents celebrate New Year s Honours joy

FOUR Barry residents have been named in the 2006 New Year s Honours list.

Geoffrey and Myra Phillips, of Parc Clwyd, were each awarded an MBE for services to children and families in the Vale of Glamorgan.

The couple have fostered more than 100 youngsters over the past 40 years, and currently care for a five-month-old baby and an 11-year-old boy.

They also have three grown-up children of their own.

Mrs Phillips, 69, who works with special needs children at Palmerston Primary School, said: I was adopted and originally we wanted to adopt.

But at the time we were refused because at that time I could still have children of my own.

Shortly afterwards we decided to go ahead with fostering.

We have a lot of love to give, and we want to carry on for as long as we can. It gives us so much joy.

Mr Phillips, 71, a retired electrician, added: We do it because we love children. We have never thought of giving up.

The couple, who celebrate their 50th anniversary in September, went on to adopt one of the babies they fostered - Alison Burrows, who is now 40.

Alison said: I m so excited for them. I couldn t have asked for better parents.

Flight Sergeant Edward Joseph Brophy, of Cassy Hill, Cadoxton, was also awarded an MBE (military division) for meritorious service.

The 48-year-old aircraft engineer has served in Iraq and Afghanistan and also set up his own charity six years ago, constructing bridges and buildings in Kenya - (visit www.projectalbert.co.uk)

He said: When I found out, I was gobsmacked. It is something for my children to aspire to.

Cherry Short, of Barry, was awarded a CBE for services to Equal Opportunities in Wales.

Ms Short is the commissioner of the Commission for Racial Equality and a national member of the Home Office Race, Education and Employment forum.

She is also a member of the government task force responsible for implementing the Welfare to Work and New Deal programmes in Wales.

Ms Short worked as a councillor in Cardiff from 1995 to 2004 and has worked on integrating black and ethnic minority people in the area.

She was the first black woman councillor in Wales.

She also works for the probation service in Cardiff and was the first black woman to sit on industrial tribunals in Wales.

Other Vale residents to be recognised in the New Year s Honours were:

l Gerald Leeke, of Hensol, who was awarded an OBE for services to the retail and leisure industries and to the community. Mr Leeke is the managing Director of J H Leeke and Sons Ltd in Llantrisant.

l Nicholas Piper, of Wenvoe, who was awarded an MBE for services to sport. Mr Piper is director of the British Boxing Board of Control.

l Malcolm Edward Sanders, of Cowbridge, was awarded an MBE for services to business in Cowbridge and Wales. Mr Sanders is chief executive and chair of SCT (Systems Consultancy Training) UK Ltd.