Queen's Birthday Honours: Gongs for Warren Gatland, Swansea City director Gwilym Joseph, musician Cerys Matthews and Doctor Who producer Julie Gardner By EvansTheCrime | Posted: June 13, 2014 By Jason Evans / [email protected] / @EvansTheCrime Comments (0) SWANSEA City director Gwilym Joseph has been appointed a MBE in the Queenâs Birthday Honours in recognition of his services to football and the local economy. He joins former Swansea Council leader Chris Holley, Wales rugby manager Warren Gatland, singer-songwriter and radio presenter Cerys Matthews, and Doctor Who executive Julie Gardner in picking up honours. Mr Joseph has been a director at Swansea for more than a decade and has helped to guide the club from the bottom of the football leagues to the Premier League and European football. He has been appointed an MBE for his services to football and to the economy of South West Wales. A club spokesman said: âEveryone at Swansea City Football Club would like to extend their congratulations to Gwilym Joseph on receiving an MBE. âIt is just reward for all the long hours Gwilym has put in to sport, in particular football, in the local area for a number of years. âApart from being a lifelong fan, Gwilym has been a director at Swansea City for 12 years and during that time he has helped play a key role in the development of the Liberty Stadium and the training facilities at both Landore and Fairwood.â Being appointed OBE in the Birthday Honours is long-serving Swansea councillor Mr Holley. The former Bishop Vaughan School pupil has been a councillor for 28 years, and is a former leader of Swansea Council, and is chairman of a range of charities. He said: âOf course I am very happy to be awarded the OBE, I am also very happy for all my family and my late wife. âWhen I had the letter, I thought that it was asking for endorsements for some else, and the surprise I had seeing my name was overwhelming. âThere are many people who have helped and supported me over the years, and I must also thank my ward colleges and the members of the administration I lead for eight years â they worked very hard for the city and I was very lucky to lead them.â Musician Cerys Matthews has been appointed MBE, for her services to music. The former singer with Welsh band Catatonia grew up in Swansea and Pembrokeshire and went to St Michaelâs School in Llanelli. She is now a popular author and radio presenter, and a member of the Dylan Thomas Prize judging panel. Welsh rugby head coach Warren Gatland said he felt âproud and humbledâ to be appointed OBE for services to rugby in the Queenâs Birthday Honours list. Speaking from South Africa, where he is preparing the team to take on South Africa tomorrow, the New Zealander said: âI was surprised really. Itâs a massive honour and Iâm absolutely over the moon to be asked to receive that. âItâs great and Iâm very proud and sort of humbled. âItâs nice to be recognised, not just for yourself. There are a heck of a lot of other people that have given me the opportunity to be recognised in terms of the other coaches and the players Iâve been involved with as well. âThe support from the Welsh Rugby Union and the people of Wales have made my time really enjoyable. âItâs easy and it feels very much home at the moment. Itâs like a second New Zealand.â Neath-born TV executive Julie Gardner also features the list, being appointed MBE â as a senior figure in BBC Wales she was a driving force in bringing Doctor Who back to television screens, and she is also an executive producer on the hit series Da Vinciâs Demons Also among the South West Wales recipients are Deris Williams, director of Menter Cwm Gwendraeth, who has been appointed MBE for services to the community, Welsh language and culture in the Gwendraeth Valley, and David Thomas from Llandeilo, who is appointed OBE for his work with the Crown Prosecution Service. Education and health also feature on the list. Robert Humphreys, from Swansea, is director of the Open University in Wales and has been made CBE for services to education and voluntary public service in Wales, while two long-serving medics with Abertawe Bro Morgannwg Health Board have been appointed MBEs for their work in Neath Port Talbot â paediatric physiotherapist Julie Harvey, for services to healthcare and charitable services to children with disabilities, and lead nurse Susan Jones for services to young people. And among the recipients of gongs is Vivienne Lewis from Sketty, who has been given a British Empire Medal for her services to the community, in particular young people. Mrs Lewis has been volunteering with the Scouts since 1969, and is currently deputy assistant County Commissioner for the Swansea and Gower District. Also awarded British Empire Medals are Marian Jarvis, from Port Talbot â the deputy head teacher at Maesteg Comprehensive, who has been recognised for services to education â Margaret Thomas, who has been recognised for her commitment to charitable and work in Ystradgynlais, and entertainer Denys Jenkins, better known to generations of pantomine fans as Denny Twp.
Don't agree with the honours system as it devalues the unsung heroes that do good work out of the limelight and never seek fame or recognition. Look at the *****philes and crooks who were knights of the realm. Pathetic. "Denny Twp" for ****'s sake.
I know people get the wrong impression. If they knew me like many do then they would agree im worthy of a knighthood ...My friends cant believe how i have been overlooked yet again....
Neath-born TV executive Julie Gardner - should have more recognition (not tin pot medals handed down by those who consider themselves important as god's representatives on earth) instrumental in huge successes for the BBC, has broken in to the US market and gets an internationally renowned company to build a studio and film a major series in Swansea. Genius.
With little help from WAG I may add and certainly less fan fare than their recent announcement. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-26226429
Well they can't let Swansea have anything can they? We redevelop our marina, they redevelop their marina; we have a new stadium, they have a new stadium; we have a Prem team they have a Prem.....oh wait a minute.
