The Lord-Lieutenant of the Royal County of Berkshire, Mr Andrew Try, presented British Empire Medals (BEM) on behalf of His Majesty The King at a ceremony held at Wokingham Town Hall. The occasion celebrated the outstanding service of individuals and voluntary organisations whose work has made a significant difference to communities across Berkshire.
The event brought together recipients, their families and supporters, alongside volunteers and civic representatives from across the county, to recognise those whose dedication and commitment have strengthened their communities.
The British Empire Medal forms part of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire and recognises individuals who have provided exceptional hands-on service within their communities, often over many years.
British Empire Medal Recipients
From the New Year Honours List 2026, the following Berkshire residents received their medals:
- Ms Adrienne Campbell – For services to the aviation industry
- Ms Sonia Dixon – For services to the aviation industry
- Miss Annette Foale – For voluntary service
- Ms Rebecca Foran-Coutts – For services to veterans
- Mr Gary Johnson – For services to basketball and to charity
- Mrs Helen Johnson – For services to basketball and to charity
- Mrs Joanne McIntyre – For services to people affected by thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and to domestic abuse
- Mr Andrew Salter – For services to defence engineering and to young people
- Mr David Smith – For services to the community in Datchet, Berkshire
The King’s Award for Voluntary Service
During the ceremony, the Lord-Lieutenant also presented the King’s Award for Voluntary Service to four Berkshire organisations whose work has had a significant and lasting impact within their communities. Announced in November 2025 on His Majesty The King’s Birthday, the award represents the highest national recognition for volunteer groups and is widely regarded as the equivalent of an MBE for organisations.
The Berkshire groups honoured in 2025 were:
- Berkshire MS Therapy Centre (Reading) – providing physical and emotional support for people living with multiple sclerosis and their families.
- Kaleidoscopic UK (Wokingham) – supporting victim-survivors of domestic abuse.
- Wokingham in Need (Wokingham) – helping homeless and vulnerable people through a range of community projects.
- Youthline (Bracknell) – offering counselling and mental health support for young people aged 11–25 and low-cost support for adults.
Each group received a commemorative crystal and a certificate signed by His Majesty The King in recognition of their outstanding voluntary service.
Since the award was established by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2002 to mark her Golden Jubilee, 99 groups across Berkshire have received this prestigious honour, reflecting the depth and strength of voluntary service within the county.
The ceremony was attended by recipients, their families and supporters, volunteers from the honoured organisations and civic representatives from across Berkshire.
The Lord-Lieutenant was supported during the ceremony by two Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadets: Staff Sergeant Emma Cluzel of the Royal County of Berkshire Army Cadet Force and Petty Officer Cadet Riley Martin of Windsor & Eton Sea Cadets.
