Kent's great and good have been honoured by the Queen on her birthday.

Among those rewarded for their years of service to the community are Professor Julia Mary Goodfellow CBE, who has been made a Dame, Dr Stephen Deuchar, of Westwell, near Ashford, who has been made a CBE thanks to his former position as director of Tate Britain, and Det Insp David Holmes of Kent Police (pictured left) receives the Queen's Police Medal.

Many of the recipients are less well-known and for them it will be a chance to stand in a well-deserved spotlight.

Helen Tait, who is the head of Sandgate Primary School and Folkestone Primary Academy, has been made a CBE for services to education.

A thrilled Mrs Tait told KentOnline: "I'm quite overwhelmed and very excited too. What an amazing honour, an honour I just would never have expected. I feel immensely proud to have even been considered for it.

"I just don't even know where it came from.

"I received a letter - I came home from school and there was a letter on the table and my husband was intruiged as it had Cabinet Office on the envelope. I opened it quite innocently.

"To say my breath was taken away was an understatement. It was the most emotional moment you could ever imagine and very humbling..."

Mrs Tait grew up in Winchester but moved to Kent to start teaching in 1977, when she began at George Spurgeon - now Catsle View - in Folkestone.

Before she moved to Sandgate Primary she was head teacher at Tenterden Juniors.

She added: "I'm lucky that I truly love what I do - I'm lucky to have a rich life... Kent has been very good to me and it's a county I'm very proud to belong to

"What I feel about this whole award is that it truly is in recognition of so many people, it's not just about me, it's about everyone who's connected with Sandgate Primary and Folkestone Academy and all the very fine head teachers and people at the LEA that work in Kent...and we are lucky to work with so many fine people and children in Kent"

Among the other highlights, June Barnett, of Farnborough, has been made an MBE for her work with the Leukaemia Research Fund and Cancer Leukaemia in Children and Alan Bernstein, of Tunbridge Wells, was made an MBE for services to Young People in Kent.

ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE
DBE

• Professor Julia Mary Goodfellow, CBE. Vice-Chancellor, University of Kent. For services to Science. (London, NW3)

CBE

• Dr Stephen Deuchar. Formerly director Tate Britain. For services to Art. (Westwell, Kent)
• Dr Marshall Paul Elliott. For public service. (Broadstairs, Kent)
• Mrs Helen Patricia Tait. Headteacher, Sandgate Primary School and Folkestone Primary Academy. For services to Education in Kent. (Hythe, Kent)

OBE

• James Romaine Hendry Coussey. Senior Prosecutor, Crown Prosecution Service. (Bromley, Kent)
• Colin Dawson. Chief executive, British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions Ltd. For services to the Tourist Industry. (Canterbury, Kent)
• Michael Geoffrey Shaun Farrell. For services to the Church of England. (Kent)
• Ronald Francis Gainsford. Chief executive, Trading Standards Institute. For services to Consumers and to Business. (West Wickham, Kent)
• Dr Robin Walter Hiley. Grade B1, Ministry of Defence. (Sevenoaks, Kent)
• Jonathan Andrew Jefferis. Grade B2, Ministry of Defence. (Sevenoaks, Kent)
• George Robert Jenkins. Vice-chairman, NHS Blood and Transplant and chairman, South London Healthcare NHS. For services to Healthcare. (Canterbury, Kent)

MBE

• Mrs June Barnett. For voluntary service to the Leukaemia Research Fund and Cancer Leukaemia in Children. (Farnborough, Kent)
• Alan Bernstein. For services to Young People in Kent. (Tunbridge Wells, Kent)
• Mrs Margaret Greenway. Formerly Commissioning Services Resource manager, Kent Probation Area. For services to Offenders. (Canterbury, Kent)
• Mrs Jane Thornton Higgs. For services to the Heritage of Eden Valley in Kent. (Edenbridge, Kent)
• Mrs Jennifer Kent, JP. For voluntary service to Gymnastics in Bexleyheath, Kent. (Bexleyheath, Kent)
• Councillor Palma Laughton. Chairman, Stanhope Parish Council. For services to the community in Stanhope, Ashford, Kent. (Ashford, Kent)
• Paul Marsh. Formerly Principal Officer, HM Prison Canterbury, HM Prison Service. (Canterbury, Kent)
• Mrs Catherine Mary Marshall. Assistant Headteacher, Wyvern School, Ashford, Kent. For services to Special Needs Education. (Ashford, Kent)
• Mrs Jacqueline McKenna. Director of Nursing and Strategic Planning, Medway NHS Foundation Trust. For services to Healthcare. (Aylesford, Kent)
• Miss Pamela Morris. Secretary, Minerva Sports and Social Association, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. (Chatham, Kent)
• Miss Thirza Mullins. Deputy Justices Clerk, Camberwell Green Magistrates' Court, Her Majesty's Courts Service. (Beckenham, Kent)
• Mrs Marjorie Rose Seal. For voluntary service to Girlguiding in Kent. (Dartford, Kent)
• Mrs Maureen Elizabeth Smith. For services to the community in Whitstable, Kent. (Whitstable, Kent)
• Michael David Stevens. Chairman of Governors, Oakwood Park Grammar School, Maidstone, Kent. For voluntary service to Education. (Maidstone, Kent)
• Mrs Hazel Elizabeth Waters. Workforce Information assistant, Medway NHS Foundation Trust. For services to the NHS. (Rainham, Kent)

QUEEN'S POLICE MEDAL
QPM

• David Holmes. Detective Inspector, Kent Police.

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