Queen honours Hove greengrocer who became mayor

A greengrocer from Hove who became the town’s mayor has been recognised by the Queen in the New Year’s Honours List.

Barry Sanders, 95, of Edward Avenue, Hove, has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to the community in Hove and Portslade.

Mr Sanders, who ran two greengrocers shops in Hove – in Hangleton Road and Old Shoreham Road – was a longserving member of Hove Borough Council and a magistrate.

He saw active service for six years in the Second World War, in North Africa and Italy. After being demobbed, he set up BD Sanders, the greengrocer and florists, in 1950.

Barry Sanders

Mr Sanders entered local politics and was twice elected Mayor of Hove – holding the office in 1970-71 and 1982-83. Mr Sanders was made an alderman and an honorary freeman of Hove.

The retired Conservative councillor is joined on the honours list by Michael Anderson, from Brighton, who served until recently as the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on UN Development Goals.

Mr Anderson has been made a Companion of the Order of the Bath for services to international development.

He played a key role in the preparations for the most recent G8 summit of world leaders, working directly with the Prime Minister David Cameron.

After leaving the Department for International Development (DfID), he took up his current post as chief executive of the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), starting in September.

Mr Anderson spent more than ten years at DfID, having previously worked for a think-tank and taught law and development studies at London University.

Voluntary worker Michael Stacey, of Hove, has become an MBE for services to British child migrants and their families.

Calligrapher and teacher Ewan Clayton, of Sillwood Road, Brighton, becomes an MBE for services to calligraphy.

He said: “It was a complete surprise but I believe it reflects the work I do not only for calligraphers but charities such as the Heritage Crafts Association, the Crafts Study Centre, the Pakistan Islamic Arts Institute in Lahore, the Irene Wellington Educational Trust, the Koestler Awards for fostering creativity and the arts in Prisons and other organisations.

“I am very grateful that their work has achieved this additional public recognition.”

Michael Anderson

Mr Clayton recently moved his workshop back to Brighton after a year in Ditchling.

In the mid 1980s Mr Clayton lived as a Benedictine monk at Worth Abbey on the edge of Crawley.

After leaving the monastery he was hired as a consultant to Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Laboratory (PARC).

He is professor in design at Sunderland University where he co-directs the International Calligraphy Research Centre.

Earlier this year Mr Clayton was named Craft Champion of the Year for his contribution to educating others in the crafts in the first National Craft Skills Awards.

And he is a trustee of the Crafts Study Centre, Britain’s university museum for contemporary craft.

The former director of children’s services at East Sussex County Council, Matt Dunkley, has been made a CBE for services to Children, Young People and Families.

Mr Dunkley, a father of three who lived in Brighton, moved to Melbourne in Australia earlier this year.

The Sussex University graduate spent 21 years at East Sussex, including eight years as director of children’s services.

He also served as president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services.

Mark Spofforth, whose accountancy practice Spofforths has a branch in Brighton, has become an OBE.

Mr Spofforth, whose daughter Gemma is an Olympic swimmer and former world champion, was recognised for services to the accountancy profession.

He served as the president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales for 2012-13.