Barnsley residents recognised in Queen's New Year's HonoursÂ

Two unsung heroes from Barnsley have been recognised for their achievements on the Queen's New Year's Honours list.Â
John WadeJohn Wade
John Wade

John Wade is a lifelong resident of the village of Oxspring and spent more than half a century in public office as he worked to improve its fortunes and the lives of those who made it their home.

He became involved in politics to further high profile campaigns which resulted in the then heavily polluted River Don being cleaned up and a controversial sewage works development being moved to an alternative location.

Lisa BeaumontLisa Beaumont
Lisa Beaumont
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Over the decades Mr Wade, 92, served on Penistone Rural District Council and then on Barnsley Council following the 1974 following local government reorganisation, persuading the authorities to build old folks bungalows which remain at the heart of the village.

He also spent 50 years as a governor at the village primary school '“ which he attended as a child '“ and stood down from those responsibilities only when he reached the age of 90.

Although no longer formally engaged in politics, Mr Wade remains a regular contributor to neighbourhood policing meetings and actively lobbies for new developments in Oxspring, which he believes are necessary for the future of the community.

Outside politics, Mr Wade had a successful career in engineering and used a motorbike to commute, with those journeys giving him the idea to create the '˜long vehicle' signs now universally used on lorries, from his experience in navigating overtaking manoeuvres.

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Mr Wade also raced motorbikes as a young man and maintains his interest in mechanics with part ownership of a steam traction engine.

He has been awarded a British Empire Medal in the Queen's New Year's Honours.

 

Lisa Beaumont is voluntary therapeutic and specialist play manager at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, and has inspired children to fulfil their potential regardless of their circumstances.

Every year, Ms Beaumont, 49,  also organises a group of children from the Leeds hospitals '“ who have all had life-saving transplants '“ to compete in the British and World Transplant Games. 

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Pre-transplant all the children who take part would have been too ill to play sport, but over the years she has brought together hundreds of children and families who can now enjoy and play happily. 

Their post-transplant achievements are a testament to the altruistic way in which she has inspired the children both in hospital and through her voluntary role for the games. 

Without her voluntary efforts, including fundraising, they would have been robbed of the opportunity in what the whole transplant family describes as the highlight of the year and a celebration of life. 

Ms Beaumont has worked for the Trust for nearly 30 years, and has arranged various support groups, Christmas parties and a skiing trip to Switzerland for the children who have had transplants, to promote confidence after a long term illness. 

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And, in 2014 she received the Unsung Hero Award at the Health Awards in recognition of her work with young patients.

She has now been awarded a British Empire Medal in the Queen's New Year's Honours for services to the British and World Transplant Games. 

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