New Year Honours for Hambling, Hoggarth, Loeffler & Jay

By Andrew Woodger
BBC Suffolk

Linda Hoggarth said she's met the Queen once before

Aside from Maggi Hambling, eight other people from Suffolk feature in the New Year Honours list for 2010.

Among them are three women who've devoted their time to helping people with disabilities and mental health issues.

Linda Hoggarth from the charity Optua has been made an MBE for improving opportunities for disabled people.

"It used to be that you did what you were told and had to be grateful, whereas now you can choose," she said.

"Optua was set up by disabled people to ensure that other disabled people could do all the things that anybody else wants to do whether that's transport to get out and about, access to benefits, taking part in sport and leisure or just staying at home with some care.

"I think it's much more normal now for people to be asked what they want to do rather than, in the old days, when people would say 'well, it would be good for you if you do this...'

The Ipswich-based charity was established in 1981 as Mid Suffolk Rethink for Disabled People and changed its name to Optua in 2005 - the name meaning 'be your best' in Latin.

WheelPower to her elbow

Eva Loeffler of WheelPower, which raises money for sports equipment

Eva Loeffler of Aldeburgh has an OBE for services to disability sport. She's the vice president of the national organisation WheelPower.

"My father started sport for the disabled as rehabilitation for paralysed people after the second world war - really to cheer them up and strengthen the muscles they still had left.

"He was the doctor in charge of the spinal injuries centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

"After he died in 1980 the British Wheelchair Sports Association (as WheelPower was called then) asked me if I'd join the committee.

"It's tremendously rewarding and satisfying. It's a very exciting time with the 2012 Paralympics, because in a way it's coming home.

"In 1984, the Americans couldn't manage to put them on in Los Angeles so we did it at Stoke Mandeville with wheelchair paralympics."

Mental health taboo

Susan Jay said there's still a taboo around mental health

Susan Jay has worked for West Suffolk MIND for 15 years and has been manager at its Long Brackland office in Bury St Edmunds for ten years. She's been made an MBE.

"For mental health to be recognised is a great honour and it'll help to de-stigmatise mental health conditions," said Susan.

"It's the recognition that mental health is as important as physical health. There have been a lot of changes over the past ten years and I think there will be more to come.

"A quarter of the population at any moment will be suffering some mental distress and bringing that to public awareness is one of the main roles that West Suffolk MIND has.

"The trustees have been sending their congratulations and although I've been given an award, it is a team effort. It still seems a bit surreal!"

From North Sea to CBE

Maggi Hambling's Scallop was unveiled on Aldeburgh beach in 2003

Following her award of a CBE, Suffolk artist Maggi Hambling was hopeful it would lead to greater acceptance of her Scallop sculpture at Aldeburgh.

The metal artwork has attracted criticism and vandalism since it was placed on the beach in 2003.

"It does seem that the Queen has rather blessed the Scallop which may be a help for the people in Aldeburgh - the way some of the people think about that sculpture," said Maggi.

"I think they ought to take on board that it's had a bit of a blessing, don't you think?

"Food, as we know, feeds the stomach, but what these honours are about is the importance of art feeding the spirit and being a civilising kind of influence."

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Maggi Hambling and the North Sea

Other honours for Suffolk people were:

• Eric Spicer, OBE of Woodbridge for services to the telecommunications industry
• Colin Richard Carter, MBE of Woodbridge for services to the road haulage industry and to charity
• Susan Tamlyn, MBE of Bury St Edmunds for services to heritage in Suffolk
• Andrew Wood, MBE of Ipswich Gymnastics Centre for services to sport
• Elizabeth Milburn, MBE of West Suffolk College, Bury St Edmunds for services to further education and the community