Community stalwarts recognised in Queen’s birthday honours

The efforts of community stalwarts from the Marlborough area have been recognised in the Queen’s birthday honours, published today.

Peter Lemon, president and chairman of the Wilton Windmill Society, has been awarded a British Empire Medal for services to the communities in Grafton and Wilton.

Peter, who lives at Manor Farm in Wilton, has been involved with the windmill all his life – his father was instrumental in saving the windmill forty years ago. Today it is the only working windmill in the South West.

Falconer Roger Upton, from Marlborough, has been appointed MBE for services to the cultural heritage of falconry.

Roger, who has been a falconer for 50 years, is the author of Arab Falconry, a unique insight into the tribesmen of Arabia who use falcons and hawks to hunt quarry including the houbara bustard, the stone curlew, and the desert hare.

Mr Upton was invited to hunt with the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, ruler of Abu Dhabi, after taking two sheiks on a falconry expedition over the Wiltshire Downs.

Also made an MBE is Nicky Clarke, from Pewsey, who formed the Military Wives Choir Foundation.

Nicky set up the choir in 2010 while her husband was deployed in Afghanistan, to help and support other military wives.

The choir was later the subject of a BBC television series. Nicky said: ““I am completely overwhelmed to have been honoured in this way.

“When I first wrote to Gareth with the idea for a choir for Military Wives, I said that I thought a choir was a good way to give a voice to women in military communities when our lives are so often influenced by factors beyond our control.

“Well, thanks to everyone who has been part of one of our amazing choirs, we really have managed to give Military Wives a voice. I am so proud to be part of this wonderful organisation and I truly feel I have been awarded this honour on behalf of us all.”