Two from Caerphilly recognised in King’s New Years Honours List

Two people from Caerphilly have been made MBEs in the King’s New Year Honours List for 2025.

Claire Croot, paralegal business manager at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), has been been given an MBE for services to law and order, while Dr Richard Lea has also been made an MBE for his services to acute medicine.

Ms Croot said: “This was not something I was expecting – never did I think that I would be given such a prestigious award and I am very honoured to receive it.

“I am proud to work for the CPS. I thoroughly enjoy my job and working alongside those within the criminal justice system.”

Dr Lea, who is a consultant in acute medicine and clinical director at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, said: “Thank you for this incredible honour which I am proud to accept on behalf of our amazing team, whose hard work, professionalism, and dedication to our patients led to this award.

“The journey of acute medicine in Cardiff and Vale has been incredible and shows what a huge difference we can make for our patients when we all work together.”

Across Wales, nearly 60 people have been recognised in the New Year’s Honours, including rugby legend Gerald Davies, who has been knighted.

Sir Gerald, who recently served as the president of the Welsh Rugby Union, has received a knighthood for services to rugby union, and to voluntary and charitable service in Wales.

The former winger starred for the dominant Wales sides in the 1960s and 70s, and also represented the British and Irish Lions.

He was one of 13 people from across Gwent to be honoured, with other winners including Dr Rowena Christmas, chair of the Royal College of GPs in Wales, who has received an MBE for services to general practice.

Meanwhile, Amy-Claire Mason, chief executive officer and director general of HM Prison and Probation Service, was made a Companions of the Order of the Bath (CB) for her public service.

Others who have been recognised this year include former First Minister Alun Michael, Olympian Emma Finucane, and Iceland Foods chief executive Tarsem Dhaliwal.

Full list of honours in Gwent

Gerald Davies (Pontypool): Lately president of the Welsh Rugby Union. Knighthood awarded for services to rugby union, and to voluntary and charitable service in Wales.

Amy-Claire Mason (Monmouth): Chief executive officer and director general of HM Prison and Probation
Service. CB awarded for public service.

Louise Smyth (Newport): Registrar of companies and chief executive officer of Companies House. CBE awarded for services to public life and to the economy.

Robert Denman VR (Usk): Governor of HM Prison Usk and Prescoed. OBE awarded for public service.

Karen Turner (Pontypool): Senior operational support manager at HM Prison and Probation Service Wales.
OBE awarded for public service.

Peter Bradwick (Cwmbran): Wood Turner. Awarded MBE for services to the craft of wood turning.

Jonathan Charlesworth (Abergavenny): Co-founder and executive director of Educational Action Challenging Homophobia. Awarded MBE for services to education, to health, to criminal justice, and to government.

Dr Rowena Christmas (Monmouth): Chair of the Royal College of GPs (RCGP) Wales and GP principal at RCGP Wales and Wye Valley Practice. Awarded MBE for services to general practice.

Michael Cope (Ebbw Vale): President of Ebbw Vale Cricket Club and Football Club. Awarded MBE for services to sport, health, and wellbeing.

Claire Croot (Caerphilly): Paralegal business manager at the Crown Prosecution Service. Awarded MBE for services to law and order.

Roger Evans (Monmouth): Chair of Friends of Friendless Churches. Awarded MBE for services to ecclesiastical heritage in England and Wales.

Dr Richard Lea (Caerphilly): Consultant in acute medicine and clinical director at Cardiff and Vale
University Health Board. Awarded MBE for services to acute medicine.

Carole Hopkins (Caldicot): Awarded MBE for services to the community in Magor.

Other honours recipients from across Wales

Wendy Ansell (Swansea): Specialist midwife at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. Awarded MBE for services to survivors of harmful practices and to women seeking sanctuary.

Francesca Bell (Brecon): Community development officer at Bannau Bycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park Authority. Awarded BEM for services to community development in Bannau Bycheiniog National Park.

Moawia Bin-Sufyan JP FRSA (South Glamorgan): Awarded MBE for services to community cohesion and inter-faith relations in South Wales.

David Bone (Denbigh): Volunteer at the Stroke Association. Awarded BEM for services to stroke survivors and their carers across North Wales.

Tracey Burke (Penarth): Director general at Welsh Government. Awarded CBE for public service in Wales.

Dr Tracey Cooper (Coleford): Chief Executive of Public Health Wales NHS Trust. Awarded OBE for services to healthcare and to public health.

Bethan Darwin (Cardiff): Founder of Superwoman Wales. Awarded MBE for services to women in business and to charity.

Tarsem Dhaliwal (Mold): Chief executive officer of Iceland Foods. Awarded OBE for services to the Welsh economy, retail and charity.

Frances Fenwick (Machynlleth): Awarded BEM for voluntary service in north Powys.

Emma Finucane (Stockport, originally from Carmarthen): Awarded MBE for services to cycling.

Sabrina Fortune (Mold): Awarded MBE for services to athletics.

Carly Hart (Maesteg): Neighbourhood support officer in Cardiff East with South Wales Police. Awarded BEM For services to policing and to the community in Cardiff.

Judith Harvey (Llandeilo): Warden manager at Brecon Beacons National Park Authority. Awarded BEM for services to the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park.

Conway Hawkins (Cowbridge): Awarded BEM for services to young people.

Paul Heitzman (Mold): Lately senior education advisor. Awarded BEM for services to education.

Rauni Higson (Caernarfon): Silversmith. Awarded MBE for services to silversmithing and to heritage crafts.

Anthony Hill (Cardiff): Awarded MBE for services to the Samaritans and to young people.

John Howells (Cardiff): Director at Welsh Government. Awarded OBE or services to the Welsh language.

Jayne Hughes (Mold): Founder of Amy and Friends. Awarded BEM for services to children with rare disorders and their families.

David James (Neath): Secretary of Ceredigion County Bowling Association. Awarded BEM for voluntary service.

Andrew John (Port Talbot): Chair of Aberavon RFC. Awarded BEM for services to charity and to business.

Richard Jones (Llanelli): Awarded MBE for services to St. John Ambulance in Wales.

Paul Knight Lucas JP (Haverfordwest): Awarded BEM for services to education and to charity.

Debbie Lane (Llanelli): Founder and chief executive officer of the LGBT+ Cymru Helpline and Progress Cymru Counselling. Awarded OBE for services to inclusion, to employment, to the LGBT+ community and to saving young lives.

Gaynor Legall (Cardiff): Chair of Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan subgroups for culture, heritage and sport. Awarded CBE for public service and to anti-racism in Wales.

Trystan Wyn Lewis (Caernarfon): Facilities support manager at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor. Awarded BEM for services to patient health and wellbeing.

Diane Locke (Mountain Ash): Awarded BEM for services to the community of Penrhiwceiber, Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Ruth Marks MBE (Cardiff): Lately chief executive officer at the Wales Council for Voluntary Action. Awarded CBE for services to the voluntary sector and to social partnership in Wales.

Dr Christopher Martin DL (Haverfordwest): Awarded OBE for services to the maritime and port sector.

Craig Maxwell (Penarth): Awarded OBE for voluntary and charitable services to Improving outcomes for people with cancer.

Professor David McAllister Blaney (Cardiff): Lately chief executive officer of Higher Education Funding Council for Wales. Awarded OBE for services to higher education.

Stephen Merridew (Bridgend): Specialist training manager of Medical Biochemistry, Swansea Bay University Health Board. Awarded BEM for services to the NHS.

The Right Honourable Alun Michael JP (Penarth): Lately police and crime commissioner for South Wales. Awarded OBE for services to public safety.

Lynne Moore (Colwyn Bay): Lately service leader at the Department for Work and Pensions. Awarded MBE for public service in north and mid Wales.

Richard Parry (Cardiff): Accompanist. Awarded BEM for services to music and to choral singing.

Hywel Peterson (Cardiff): Awarded MBE for voluntary and charitable services.

Alan Phillips (Porthcawl): Lately team manager at Welsh Rugby Union. Awarded MBE for services to rugby union and to charity in Wales.

Karen Pitt (Swansea): Senior telecoms engineer, driver at Vehicle Licensing Agency. Awarded MEB for services to science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills.

Stephen Rigby (Welshpool): Founder o the Children’s Chess Club (3Cs). Awarded BEM for services to Young People.

David Smith (Chester, Clwyd): Police Sergeant at North Wales Police. Awarded BEM For services to the community in north Wales and to charity.

Michael Taylor (Aberystwyth): Chair of trustees at the Centre for Alternative Technology. Awarded MBE for services to charity and to innovation.

Kevin Tumelty (Cardiff): Head of security at Senedd Cymru. Awarded OBE for services to public and parliamentary security.

Jeremy Vaughan: Chief constable of South Wales Police. Awarded King’s Police Medal (KPM).

Maureen Webber (Pontypridd): Deputy leader and councillor for Rhydyfelin Central, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council. Awarded BEM for services to the community in Rhydyfelin.

Janice Williams OBE (Swansea): Chair of Swansea Bay University Health Board. Awarded CBE for public service.

Professor Florence Wong (Bristol): Professor of diabetes and metabolism at Cardiff University and honorary consultant physician in diabetes at the University Hospital of Wales. Awarded CBE for services to diabetes and metabolism.

Lee Wong (Pontypridd): Lately national blood health team lead at the Welsh Blood Service. Awarded MBE for services to the Welsh Blood Service.

Anthony Wynne (Aberdare): Lately president of the Welsh Amateur Boxing Association. Awarded MBE for services to amateur boxing

Professor Zaheer Raza Yousef (Penarth): Consultant cardiologist at the University Hospital of Wales. Awarded OBE for services to the treatment of heart failure.