Mary is Meadow Well's first lady

Dec 31 2004 By Hilary Clixby, The Journal

For service to his city

A veteran North councillor has received the MBE in the New Year's Honours list.

Former Durham City Mayor Colin Beswick, 76, of Meadowfield, Durham, was awarded the MBE yesterday for services to the community in Durham.

Coun Beswick, a former headteacher and a city councillor for 41 years, said: "It is a fantastic honour. I would like to share the award with all the hard working people in Durham who don't get the recognition they deserve.

"I only wish my late wife, Joyce, were here to see me receive this honour. I retired from the City Council to look after her, but she died two days later."

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Startling twist in drama of life for proud Plater

"You could say I was a little startled when I received the letter," laughed well-loved writer Alan Plater last night, speaking of the CBE he has been awarded in the New Year's Honours.

Jarrow-born Alan is one of Britain's most respected writers, whose award-winning career has spanned five decades with many credits for theatre, radio, film and television.

He has written extensively for Newcastle's Live Theatre and last night 69-year-old Alan said he was truly honoured. He said: "The letter said I was being given the honour for services to writing and drama and I choose to think that, since most of my stage work has been outside of London, this award goes a long way to recognising that.

"I'd better learn how to command now that I'm becoming a Commander - whenever I've tried it in the past, people tend to just laugh and walk away," he chuckled.

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Dame Tanni's tickled pink with her new title

Paralympic athlete Tanni Grey-Thompson says she was very proud and excited at being made a Dame in the New Year's Honours list.

Tanni, 35, said yesterday: "I really am excited about it. I didn't expect to get anything like this, so to get here and get something like this, is, well, I think it's pretty cool.

"I will be making sure I write Dame Tanni on everything from now on. It is something really special and it means a lot to me and my family.

"My husband, Ian, thinks it's hilarious, he hasn't stopped singing There's Nothing Like a Dame from the musical South Pacific since we heard, but I know he is quite proud of it really."

Tanni, who is already an MBE and OBE, was born with spina bifida and is paralysed from the waist down.

At the Paralympics in Athens she won gold medals in the T53 100m and the T53 400m, taking to 11 the number of paralympic gold medals she has won.

As well as being a star athlete, she has also been an ambassador for disabled sport.

Tanni's next major competition is the London Marathon in April.

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Councillor dedicates his award to the people

A councillor who has served his constituents in North Tyneside for 43 years is awarded an MBE.

Lawrence Goveas has represented the people of Cullercoats since he joined the then Tynemouth Borough Council.

The 75-year-old, who is now chairman of North Tyneside Council, said he would dedicate his award to the people in his ward.

He said: "It came as a complete surprise to me that I should be honoured for my work in the community. It was totally unexpected.

"I am pleased to accept it on behalf of the people of Cullercoats."

Lawrence, who lives with his wife Sheila on Hatherton Avenue, North Shields, is also vice president of the Northumberland and North Tyneside Boy's Battalion and a committee member of the Tynemouth Blind Welfare Society.

He said: "It's been an honour to serve the people of the borough. That's been my satisfaction."

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Health and learning

Tyneside health chief Anne Galbraith has been awarded an OBE for her services to the community.

Mrs Galbraith was chairwoman of the Royal Victoria Hospitals NHS Trust, Newcastle, from 1990 to 1997 and a member of the Northern Regional Health Authority from 1988 to 1991.

An academic lawyer, she is vice-chairwoman of the Council of the University of Durham and is currently chairwoman of the Newcastle-based Prescription Pricing Authority.

She has also been closely involved with the Children's Foundation and Citizens Advice Bureaux.

Mrs Galbraith, 64, who lives with husband John near Haydon Bridge, Northumberland, has two grown-up children, Andrew and Sarah, and three grandchildren.

She said yesterday she was delighted, but "I work as part of a team and umpteen others deserve credit too".

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