West Berkshire residents receive MBE and CBE medals at Royal ceremony

Services to engineering and charity work recognised

TWO West Berkshire residents kept a royal appointment last week as they collected their CBE and MBE medals at a ceremony held in Windsor Castle.

Newbury resident Geoff French received the CBE medal from the Princess Royal last Wednesday, while Karen Ross of Tilehurst received her MBE.

Mr French is the former president of the Institution of Civil Engineers and was appointed CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in June for services to civil engineering over his 50-year career.

He spent time working in Botswana, China, Hong Kong, India, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Vietnam, where his focus was mainly on transport planning, design and management.

After receiving his award Mr French said: “My CBE emphasises the essential role that civil engineering plays in all our lives.

“I was delighted to receive the award from the Princess Royal, who is such a great supporter of civil engineers and engineering generally.”

Mrs Ross, chief executive of Relate, was made an MBE following 26 years of work with the charity, helping young people overcome the disruption caused by the breakdown of their parents relationship.

She said: “I am 61 and have worked for Relate locally for 26 years.

“The day was wonderful and it was such an honour to join so many amazing people who were also being awarded, among them Olympians, charity and business workers.

“All the officials at the Castle went out of their way to ensure recipients and their families had a very special day and the Princess Royal was very gracious in her interest of the work undertaken by Relate.”