New year honour for farm safety campaigner
Jane Gurney
Farm safety campaigner Jane Gurney has been awarded an MBE in the 2023 new year honours list for services to the agricultural community.
Ms Gurney founded the Tilly Your Trailer campaign after her teenage son Harry Christian-Allan was killed while towing a trailer with defective brakes in 2014.
See also: Farm trailer inspections raise safety concerns
She spent five years after her son’s fatal accident campaigning for improvements in farm safety.
The farming partnership employing Harry was later fined £400,000 plus costs for breaches of health and safety rules which led to his death.
The 18-point Tilly Your Trailer inspection procedure and certificate has since helped to ensure thousands of farm trailers are properly maintained and serviced.
The initiative involves an annual service by an authorised mechanic, as well as a simple daily check each time a trailer is used on or off the farm.
It has won the support of trailer manufacturers, machinery dealers, health and safety experts and the police – as well as farmers.
Other honours included:
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Christine Middlemiss © Defra
Dr Christine Helen Middlemiss, chief veterinary officer, Defra. For services to the veterinary and farming sectors.
OBE
Afshin Amirahmadi, managing director, Arla Foods UK. For services to the dairy industry.
Michael Thomas Bell, executive director, Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association. For services to the food and drink industry and to the economy in Northern Ireland.
Victor Chestnutt © Cliff Donaldson
Victor James Boyd Chestnutt, lately president, Ulster Farmers’ Union. For services to Agriculture.
John Charles Cross, chairman, Bovine TB Partnership for England. For services to the livestock industry.
Dr Bridget Anne Emmett, head of soils and land use, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. For services to soil and ecosystem science.
Robin Michael Faccenda, lately chairman, Faccenda Investments. For services to the UK poultry industry and to education.
Janet Diana Swadling, lately chief executive, the Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture. For services to farming and to education.
MBE
Paula Margaret Matthews, farmer. For services to sustainable agriculture.
Thomas George Nellist, chairman, Hereford Agricultural Associations and Clubs. For voluntary and charitable services in Herefordshire.
Professor Ursula Margaret Waite (Ursula Lavery). For services to the agri-food industry and to the economy in Northern Ireland.
British Empire Medal
Patrick Joseph McTeague, food technology technician, Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland Executive. For public and voluntary service.
James McVicar Morrison. For services to agriculture in Northern Ireland.
David William Scott. For services to countryside conservation and to heritage.
Ian Francis Swinney. Countryside area ranger, Bookham Commons. For services to conservation and heritage in Surrey.