Somerset sport chief and group founder bag King’s honours

The founder of a community group and the woman credited with bringing the 2028 Euros to the UK are among the Somerset residents who have been nominated for investitures.

Susan Shapland set up Exmoor Extroverts 25 years ago and it now has more than 700 members, she has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to volunteering and culture.

Meanwhile, Esther Britton, deputy chief at UK Sport, will be given an MBE for overseeing more than 100 major sporting events across the country.

They are part of the King’s Birthday honours, which sees famous faces and community champions thanked for their achievements.

Ms Shapland’s group mostly caters for retirees and elderly communities in West Somerset, helping people make friends and go on domestic and international trips.

She has also raised significant funds for Hospice South West and spent COVID-19 lockdowns donating IT equipment to SEN schools.

Speaking to BBC Radio Somerset, Ms Shapland said she found out when she was with her daughter.

“I saw this official-looking envelope and my instant reaction was ‘What have I done wrong?’,” she said.

“I opened this envelope and undid the letter and the two of us read the first paragraph together in silence, and we just looked at each other and sort of gawped.

“I don’t think it’s sunk in… I think I mustn’t go and do something awful now and make a mess of it.

“I’ve got a big birthday coming up in the new year so we’ll probably have a big family get together and no doubt celebrate it then.”

Elaine Hunniford from Wells has received an MBE in recognition of her service to young people and safeguarding in sport.

In 2021 she was seconded to the British Elite Athletes Association (BEAA) to lead the support team established to help children, families and elite athletes affected by allegations of mistreatment in gymnastics.

Mrs Hunniford helped to ensure support for over 280 survivors and their families and played a significant part in leading the BEAA’s engagement with the subsequent Whyte Review.

Mrs Hunniford, who is head of safeguarding at the BEAA, said: “I am immensely honoured – and feel incredibly proud – that my work has been recognised in this way.

“It always has been and continues to be the greatest privilege that individuals feel able to share their experiences with me and trust me and my decision-making to do the right thing.”

Esther Britten, based near Shepton Mallet, is the head of major events for UK Sport, and is credited with bringing the 2028 Euros to the UK.

Ms Britten is said to have played a key role in most of the major one-off sporting events hosted in the UK over the last 10 years.

In total, she has overseen 121 major international sporting events across 41 sports and is also said to have helped restart the major events sector following the pandemic.

Elsewhere across the county, there are honours for:

• Andy Marsh, former Avon and Somerset Police chief – knighthood
• Andrew Berry, the head of Taunton and Bridgwater College – CBE
• Philippa Bonay, director of operations at the ONS – OBE
• David Russell, senior project manager at Defence Equipment and Support – OBE
• Professor Dudley Shallcross, former CEO at Primary Science Teaching Trust – OBE