Secretary of State for Wales Simon Hart has praised people from Wales who have received awards in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list 2021.

The list recognises the work and achievements of a wide range of remarkable people across the United Kingdom from all backgrounds.

Recipients from Wales in 2021 include individuals who worked tirelessly during the Covid-19 pandemic, volunteers who have given up their time to help others and worked towards effecting positive change throughout Wales.

Expressing his heartfelt thanks for their “inspiring achievements” Mr. Hart congratulated all those being recognised with an award.

“In what has truly been an astonishingly challenging year, it is vital that we take the time to recognise and praise the inspiring achievements of remarkable people across society,” he said

“These awards celebrate the individuals who selflessly give back to those around them, both through their work and personal lives, and whose work can sometimes be overlooked.

“It is heart-warming to see the hugely diverse range of recipients from communities and backgrounds across Wales, recognised for their commitment to charity, education, health, sport the arts and – during a global pandemic – extraordinary work in the fight against Covid-19.

“We are all extremely grateful for the efforts of each person honoured and I’d like to personally congratulate everyone receiving an award.”

Fifty-nine-year old Sharron Kim Lusher of Saundersfoot has been awarded an MBE for services to Further Education in Pembrokeshire.

As Principal of a college acting as a lead provider for a large consortium, her focus was on driving up the apprenticeship framework success rates and bringing the lowest performing provider up to the standard of the best.

The strategy has resulted in outcomes above the national comparator year on year.

She has worked hard to maintain positive relationships both internal and external to the college.

Sharron made a conscious decision to make her College an integral part of the community in Pembrokeshire by engaging with key councillors, council Directors and local employers, even setting up an employer engagement forum in order to consider how the College can best meet local business needs.

She made significant inroads into the way post-16 education and training is delivered in the county of Pembrokeshire where learners are now offered completely impartial advice and guidance as to what is the best learning pathway for them.

Sharron provided the widest possible range of vocational and academic routes to learners ensuring they were fully informed of all economically viable options available to them.

As a consequence to this, she leaves the legacy of CAMPUS6, an up to date A level and science facility in Pembrokeshire, jointly funded by Welsh Government and the College opened by the Education Minister in October 2017.

The impact of CAMPUS6 is that the learners of Pembrokeshire are able to access the highest quality academic facilities and resources matching the vocational laboratories and workshops available at the College.

She also developed the Work Based Learning Consortium led by Pembrokeshire College, delivering up to 5,000 apprenticeships across the whole of South Wales, working in partnership with Colleges.

Her goal, which has been successfully achieved, can be evidenced by apprenticeship success rates, which provided opportunities for learners to develop the skills set to enable them to progress in the workplace and support economic growth and development across the areas in which the consortium provides its training.

As Chair of ColegauCymru, she created the Principal’s Forum, designed to strengthen the link between the College and the work undertaken on behalf of colleges in developing responses to the key strategic challenges faced by the sector.

She provided a vital link between the day to day experiences of the 13 FE colleges as they delivered a wide range of education and skills services across the length and breadth of Wales.

After stepping down as Principal of Pembrokeshire College she remained a supporter of the education sector becoming the Chair of the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body ensuring pay parity for both teachers and college lecturers.

Sixty-eight-year-old Bertram Phillips of Llanboidy was also awarded an MBE, for services to sport and the community in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.

In response to the Covid pandemic, he coordinated a volunteering group within the Llanboidy ward to assist with picking up groceries, medication, free school meals, posting items or just to have a chat with the most vulnerable individuals within the community which was an invaluable lifeline for many.

He has been a part of Llanboidy Tug of War Club ever since it was started in 1968 and was a member of the squad which won the 1977 World Championships in Jersey.

He continues to play an active role at the club as head coach passing on his experience of this traditional team sport.

He ensures that Tug of War plays a vital part in not only the bringing the community together but ensuring that the younger generation are exposed to physical and team activities.

His reputation and influence in the world of Tug of War extends far outside Wales and he has recently used that standing to call for the sport to be reinstated into the Olympic Games. He is the Chair of the Narberth Rugby Football Club known locally as the Otters.

He has helped raise funds for the club and continues to donate his time for free helping to improve the Otter ground facilities for the benefit of all. He is a long-standing member of Whitland Male Voice Choir.

As part of the 57 strong singers he performs concerts and attends local events such as Armistice Day services.

In recent years he has helped the choir raise funds for good causes including prostate and breast cancer charities. He performs more formal civic duties for the community as the local councillor for Llanboidy ward.

Amongst those awarded a BEM was Susan Rees of Johnston, for services to Healthcare in Pembrokeshire.

Susan is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner for infection prevention working across Community and Primary Care.

Having semi-retired from her full time role in 2018, she returned to work three days a week as soon as Covid was on the rise.

Preparation for the pandemic commenced in January 2020, and the pace at which she has been able to respond and her ability to share her expertise across our community has directly benefited patients, residents, healthcare staff and our partners immensely.

She focused on ensuring that staff were able to access personal protective equipment (PPE), including fit testing.

Having trained hundreds of staff, she then offered mutual aid to train staff in a neighbouring health board.

In early February, Covid-19 testing began. She and her team were the first to visit homes of symptomatic individuals to take samples for Covid-19, ensuring that the risk of cross infection/contamination was mitigated through exemplary infection prevention precautions and supervision.

She also supported care homes in the management of outbreaks.

As activity increased, she was instrumental in setting up the Coronavirus Testing Units (CTUs) and the High Consequence Infectious Disease Nurse Bank to staff these units.

Initially, the CTUs offered clinical assessment, so she and her team were able to assess the condition of symptomatic individuals and provide clinical advice in addition to testing.

As care homes reported symptomatic residents, she was available to arrange sampling and on occasions went into care homes to assess residents and put infection prevention measures in place e.g. zoning, flow, decontamination, hygiene and PPE in order to contain local outbreaks.

Recognising the vulnerability of the care home sector, working with the Long Term Care Team (for Care Homes) and the Military Support Units, she has been instrumental in co-ordinating the mass screening exercise of all care home residents and staff across the Health Board.

This has identified new asymptomatic cases of Covid-19, which has enabled proactive infection prevention strategies to be deployed to protect vulnerable citizens.

Recognising her outstanding achievement, Mr. Hart remarked: “Answering the call for help and returning from semi-retirement during the pandemic, Susan provide exemplary care and protection to patients and care home residents.

“Susan was also instrumental in setting up the Coronavirus Testing Units (CTUs) and co-ordinated the mass screening exercise of all care home residents and staff.

“It is fitting that Susan receives this well-deserved award this year.”