Public servants from Brighton and Hove who kept the country going through the covid pandemic are among those recognised in this year’s birthday honours list.
Lesley Garven MBE from Blind Veterans UK, Scott Noble BEM from the University of Sussex and Nicola Bell from National Highways were each recognised for their pandemic related work.
Superintendent Simon Nelson from Sussex Police has also been recognised for his work supporting disabled officers, Penelope Ciniewicz CBE from HMRC for services to public administration and Catherine Gulliver OBE from BEIS for services to climate change law.
Lesley Garven, who has been Manager of the Blind Veterans UK Centre since 2012, received the honour for Services to Veterans. The award was given particularly for her work leading the centre, which has 30 permanent residents, throughout the pandemic.
Chief Executive of Blind Veterans UK, Major General (Rtd) Nick Caplin CB said: “As Covid-19 struck, she focused on creating a safe environment for our elderly vision-impaired residents.
“She used social media to secure PPE support when supplies were stretched and set up Covid-19 testing arrangements for her staff and residents with a leading university, to provide assurance before the national testing systems were established.
“Lesley continues to lead on the planning around our move to our new Sussex home in Rustington and always puts the needs of blind veterans first.”
Lesley said: “I am absolutely overwhelmed and want to take this opportunity to thank all the staff at our Centre who have worked so tirelessly, particularly throughout the pandemic.
“We will soon be moving to our new home in Rustington, but I know that all of our staff will be just as committed to providing the very best care and support to blind veterans.”
Blind veteran Tony Harbour, 86 and from Saltdean, said: “Lesley is a constant source of sunshine and inspiration to all us blind veterans. She lifts our spirits, makes us laugh and gives us hope.
“Although my vision is seriously impaired I can easily see the impact she has on the staff and the ease with which they follow her clear and natural lead. Through her personal example and devotion, she leads a very happy team of staff and volunteers who help us to enjoy like beyond sight loss.”
Scott Noble was given the British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to education for his work at the University of Sussex.
The university’s interim vice-chancellor, David Maguire, said: “The pandemic was an unprecedented challenge for many – and Scott’s no-nonsense, pragmatic style of leadership was exactly what was needed.
“He worked tirelessly to make sure that our community on campus was taken care of through lockdown.
“But he also found the time to make sure the university was an asset to the city – providing a home to military planners, and a location for a temporary mortuary at the height of Covid.
“He’s the embodiment of the values we hold dear at Sussex.”
Scott said: “We aren’t just a university, we’re a community. We look out for our students, and we take care of each other – here at Sussex and also those in the wider community.
“I’m lucky to manage teams of people who work hard to show compassion as well as delivering a service. It was a testing time to be sure, but we can all be proud of what we achieved here.
“I’m delighted to receive the British Empire Medal. And I’d like to express my gratitude to those I work with who helped make it possible.”
As south east regional director of National Highways, Nicola Bell managed the closure of the French border in December 2020, which involved putting in place measures to keep Kent moving.
She was at the heart of the government’s response to Insulate Britain protests, securing injunctions which brought to an end the protests.
As Regional Director she is responsible for maintenance and renewals programmes for Hampshire, Sussex, Kent and Surrey including the Dartford Crossing and Hindhead tunnels, and Heads a team of more than 500 colleagues working on the roads, in control rooms and asset management to deliver a 24 hour, 365 days a year operation.
She led the planning during the EU Transition Period, helping to develop Operation Brock. In the event of severe disruption at Dover and the Eurotunnel, securing £55m in funding for moveable barriers
She organised and deployed a team of 50 colleagues to the M20 within hours of the French Government shutting cross-channel routes after the discovery of the Kent Covid variant.
She organised overnight deployment of the moveable barrier, helping to relieve pressure on Kent roads, and adapted traffic plans to facilitate the Covid testing of HGV drivers, which allowed freight to move again across the Channel.
Finally Superintendent Simon Nelson has been given the Queen’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service.
Superintendent Nelson has dedicated his service to supporting disabled officers and staff at Sussex Police since being diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2004 – which led to the full removal of his stomach two years after.
He is currently the President of the Disabled Police Association and holds the disability representative role on the National Executive Committee of the Police Superintendents’ Association.
Despite his own significant health challenges, he continues to work operationally as a Firearms Commander and Public Order Commander in Sussex Police and has held some of the Force’s most challenging operational roles. In addition, he continues to work his on-call commitments in line with the daily waves of tiredness, medication and health interventions.
To many he is a role model and defines what disabled officers and staff can contribute to policing and society across the country. Such was the support for him personally, that he was duly elected to represent disabled colleagues at a local, regional and national level. He has used this opportunity and excelled in supporting the police service on wider diversity, equality and inclusion issues – representing his nationwide colleagues on not just physical health challenges but the wider sphere of neuro diversity and champions the inclusive approach of all.
He is very public and an active user of Social Media to push on inclusivity and support. He is highly regarded for his work on bringing together other national network groups, such as National Black Police Association, to work together on inter-sectionality issues. He not only works privately in support of other network groups but, where necessary, shows visible leadership, such as parading at Pride celebrations in Brighton. The confidence that colleagues have in him is incredible, with the number of people identifying as disabled in the superintending ranks trebling since his appointment to the role, which has supported the PSA in better understanding of their workforce.
He has worked on key national issues such as national fitness testing, unsatisfactory performance regulations, capability dismissal and disability discrimination issues, shaping the way the police service approaches these key issues for the future. He has also been undertaking voluntary work, as a founding advisory board member, for the charity Cancer Central UK which helps people affected by cancer to find the support and information they need. Being recognised with a QPM would be very well received across the Police Service and it will send a strong message of support for disabled officers and staff.
