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Queen honours nine in her New Year list

31/12/2001

CHAMPAGNE corks were popping across Stockport as nine local people celebrated being named on the New Year Honours list.

Father-of-four Dr Kieran John Moriarty, 50, who lives in Bramhall, has received the CBE for services to medicine. Dr Moriarty is a consultant gastroenterologist at the Royal Bolton Hospital. He said: "I have been in the profession for 26 years. I feel very honoured and elated. I hope this this something the whole hospital will share in."

Former Manchester City goalkeeper Alex Williams, 40, who lives in Stockport, was also celebrating after receiving an MBE. Mr Williams, who was forced to retire from the game through injury, is a football and community development officer for the club. He was given the award for services to young people.

A finance expert who introduced two new tax systems and a new benefits system to Stockport Council has been awarded an MBE.

Hilary Barbara Ross, 63, from Poynton, who retired as assistant director of finance at the town hall in October, has received the award for services to local government. She was also assistant director of information services for eight months this year.

Mrs Ross joined the council as a mature graduate in 1977 and made rapid progress, becoming assistant director of finance in 1986 and managed 180 staff at the time of her retirement. She said she was "gobsmacked" when first told of her award. Council executive leader Councillor Fred Ridley described it as "a well deserved honour."

An OBE has been awarded to the national treasurer of the Citizens Advice Bureau service, Maurice Sharples, from Romiley.

Mr Sharples has held this voluntary post for 17 years and is also on the bureau's management committee in Tameside.

Mr Sharples, who comes from Rochdale, was formerly director of finance for the North West Regional Regional Health Authority. He has lived in Stockport for 27 years.

"I am very pleased with the honour and with the people who put my name forward," said Mr Sharples.

The OBE has also been awarded to Maureen Teresa Banbury, of Marple, an inspector with the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted).

She has been a member of the inspectorate for over ten years after a distinguished career in local authority adult education and made a major contribution to the inspection of adult and community education and youth work. In recent years she has had responsibility for co-ordinating this work within Ofsted

She has recently contributed to the development of national standards for adult basic skills and has had a significant role in formulating an inspection framework for the new Connexions service. "I am delighted with this recognition which not only honours me, but adult education and youth work," said Mrs Banbury.

Margaret Ann Parker, head of adult and community learning at Ridge Danyers College, Marple and Cheadle Hulme, has received an MBE.

She is a local magistrate and was formerly principal at Cheadle Adult Education Centre.

Former Stockport executive nurse director Heather Dribble said she was delighted to be made an OBE this week.

Ms Dribble, 41, was made Chief Nurse of the new Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust last year, having spent two decades working in the Health Service.

She is also a member of the Modernisation Board chaired by Secretary of State for Health Alan Milburn.

"I'm incredibly thrilled and genuinely surprised to be honoured in this way," the High Peak nurse said.

"I care passionately about the NHS and consider it a great privilege to work in such an amazing organisation which is characterised by its dedicated, talented and compassionate staff."

Denis Crane, of Heathcote Avenue, Heaton Norris, was awarded a CBE for his services to people suffering from kidney diseases.

Hazel Grove health visitor Barbara Swann, of Caernarvon Drive, was given a CBE for her services to health care.