This year’s New Year’s Honours list has named seven Manx residents who will receive awards from Her Majesty the Queen.

Chief Constable Gary Roberts will receive a Queen’s Police Medal, Edna Clarke will receive the British Empire Medal and Member of the British Empire medals will be awarded to Christian Varley, Charles Guard, John Riley, Jane Glover and Susan Waddecar.

Chief Constable Gary Roberts has been granted his QPM for showing strategic leadership, purpose, integrity and vision. He oversaw the transition from a police-only control room to Europe’s first fully combined joint emergency services control room. He has also reintroduced community policing and is often seen on the beat himself.

Edna Clarke of Ramsey has been recognised for a BEM for her outstanding service to the Manx community. She has been an active volunteer for well over 30 years for Armed Forces charities and organisations. Mrs Clarke is a former patient escort, having made over 500 journeys accompanying ill people off-island.

MBEs

Christian Varley ran his way into Manx sporting history in May by running 19 marathons on 19 consecutive days, fundraising for the Manx Solidarity Fund which was set up to help those struggling financially as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak. During lockdown, his endeavours raised spirits and sparked the public’s imagination. During the early stages of the challenge, he was injured and in pain. Whilst his daily sub-four hour marathons were publicly visible, to achieve them he had to go through a grueling 18-hour daily schedule. Finishing at Tynwald Hill on May 19, he inspired a nation by running 500 miles in 19 days, and raising over £100,000.

Charles Guard is an author, composer, musician, historian, filmmaker and broadcaster. During his different roles at Manx Radio he has contributed to public service broadcasting on the island. Throughout his career he has saved historic buildings and promoted Manx traditions and history. His wide-ranging and long standing contributions were recognised by the Isle of Man Newspapers' Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 and the following year he was awarded the Tynwald Honour. For his outstanding service to culture and heritage on the Isle of Man, Charles Guard will receive his MBE.

John Riley has supported charities and organisations in the island and beyond. A retired headmaster, he devotes many hours a week to at least eight charities. He has led and organised the Promenade Summer Concerts for many years, but is equally likely to be seen setting out the chairs for the audience as he is conducting the choirs and orchestras, playing the piano and singing. He has been described as the lynch pin that holds everything together and an invaluable contributor to the island’s community for more than 40 years. Over 10 years, he raised £250,000 for an orphanage, and was on the ground helping to build a school for the children of a remote village in the Himalayas.

Jane Glover is heavily involved in the community of the south of the Isle of Man. She is the chair of the recently combined local authority of Rushen and Arbory. With the emerging threats of Covid-19 during March 2020, she recognised the wider role required of parish authorities in supporting the most vulnerable residents. She created and led local volunteers who helped those self-isolating, shielding or quarantined at home and organised the successful introduction of a traffic light system of display cards for residents to indicate what support they needed. As well as her leadership in the parishes, she worked with the Southern Community Initiative, island-wide community groups and her local church.

Susan Waddecar will receive her MBE for outstanding service to the Isle of Man during the pandemic. Mrs Waddecar was chosen to lead the nursing team at Abbotswood after it suffered an outbreak of Covid-19. As a senior and well-qualified nurse, she quickly earned the respect and trust of her colleagues and the residents of the home. She took overall responsibility at an exceptionally sad and challenging time and showed unwavering empathy and compassion for residents, their families and staff.More in Tuesday's Examiner.