Four people from Mid Ulster and South Tyrone named in the New Year's Honours

Maghera woman Violet Phillips has been actively involved in organising the town's 'Big Breakfast' which has raised tens of thousands of pounds for Cancer Research since it started more than 20 years ago.

Violet says she is "delighted and honoured" to have been awarded a BEM in the New Year Honours for charitable services.

Married to Eric, she has one son, two daughters and five grandchildren.

She was diagnosed with cancer herself in 1991 and underwent treatment.

In the late 90s she joined the Cancer Research UKs (CRUK) Maghera Local Committee, taking up the position of chairperson in the year 2000.

Violet has retained this voluntary position since and remains an active volunteer for the charity.

Under her leadership the Maghera Local Committee has raised several tens of thousands of pounds.

"This year was one of the most successful ‘Big Breakfast’ events we’ve held when we raised £17,000 for Cancer Research,” she explained.

CRUK have noted that this ‘Big Breakfast’ is the largest of its kind in the UK with it alone raising over £10,000 each year since it began in 2002.

Another Maghera woman, Catherine Clifford, director of Rural Community Network, received an MBE for services to Rural Communities and to Peace Building in Northern Ireland.

She is passionate about addressing inequalities in society and working to challenge policies and practices which continue to disadvantage the rural community.

Since 1996, she has dedicated her life working and volunteering with a particular focus on rural development.

Ms Clifford is a leader in promoting women in peacebuilding and has advised on pilot projects to develop women in the community by equipping them with the skills, knowledge and confidence to become community leaders.

She continues to use her experience and influence to address sectarianism and racism and has established contacts across the perspectives and interests in NI with the Gaelic Athletic Association, churches and the Orange Order.

Also awarded an MBE is David Thompson who has been principal of Dungannon Primary School for 11 years with 25 years experience in education.

Mr Thompson received the award for services to education and to the community in County Tyrone.

It is through his enthusiasm, dedication and his leadership of staff and pupils, that he goes the extra mile by providing an all-round education which is reflected in the children through their results and achievements to help them reach their true and full potential.

As a result of significant growth in pupil numbers, he has helped oversee a £700,000 major re-development of the outside grounds/parking area at the school which is Phase 1 of a full school multi-million pound refurbishment programme.

The school was one of 16 in Northern Ireland to be awarded £40 million for school projects. He is a true advocate for education at both local and province wide levels by working with and supporting other principals in the local and wider communities.

He contributes significantly to the difficult issues being faced by teachers and pupils in the current educational climate and he works tirelessly to address these matters so that teachers feel they have a voice, they are being listened to and feel valued and appreciated in the work they do each day.

Nathan Chambers, a British Red Cross volunteer from Enniskillen, was awarded a BEM for over 25 years supporting his local community in Fermanagh and South Tyrone.

Nathan, 52, an emergency response (ER) volunteer, joined the Red Cross in 1997 and has spent decades attending callouts to people affected by flood, fire, accidents and bad weather.

“I thought it was a letter about jury service,” says Nathan of the New Year Honour award. “I got an official looking letter and my wife said, ‘I bet you have to do jury service over Christmas.’ I couldn’t believe it when I realised what the letter was really about.”

Nathan who works as an Ambulance Care Attendant for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, has had an interest in First Aid since being injured in the 1987 Enniskillen bomb, aged just 14.