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Foster carer and RAF volunteer in honours list

June 17, 2010

A FOSTER carer and a military volunteer were among the Hampshire men and women recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Christine Gubbins, from Aldershot, has looked after more than 60 babies in a fostering career spanning three decades.

She was appointed MBE for services to children and families.

Mrs Gubbins has a nursing background and is able to care for babies in need of special medical care.

“It is an honour and I am speechless,” she said this week.

“I love my job because I am giving a child a start in life that they would not have had and I am passing a child to a family who have always wanted children.

"That is what makes the job so rewarding and worthwhile.”

Councillor Ken Thornber, leader of Hampshire County Council, said: “I am delighted that the efforts of people dedicated to working with children in Hampshire have been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

“It is a tremendous privilege to receive an honour from the Queen and Christine is most deserving of this tribute in recognition of her hard work and commitment over the years.”

Supporting soldiers

A woman who has helped look after families at a key RAF airbase for more than 20 years was also awarded an MBE.

Sheelagh O’Flaherty-Hobbs, 74, was given the honour in recognition of her community and voluntary work at RAF Odiham.

For 28 years she has worked with the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) Forces Help, an organisation that supports servicemen and women past and present, and their relatives.

“The award was totally out of the blue – I just never expected it,” said Mrs O’Flaherty-Hobbs.

“It is for the years I have been looking after families at RAF Odiham. I’ve been working on the station for 22 years.

“I’m very much hands-on and specialise in helping broken marriages or estranged partners and getting families set up."

Mrs O’Flaherty-Hobbs’ son Andrew helped to raise about £10,000 for SSAFA Forces Help after completing a two-week trek in Nepal in 2005.

“He’s been a great believer in SSAFA and the work we do,” she said. “Once the cameras have gone, SSAFA is always there to help.”

She was nominated for her award by Group Captain Andrew Turner, who was previously in charge at RAF Odiham.

"Very proud"

An engineer who has developed life-saving pieces of equipment used on the frontline by British soldiers was awarded an OBE.

John Hambly, who lives in Frimley and works for local employer Qinetiq, was named in the birthday honours list for services to the defence industry.

In a career that has spanned 35 years, he has been an engineer for government-owned agencies and privatised defence companies.

Mr Hambly has spent his working life developing battlefield technologies for the Ministry of Defence that have been designed to save money, time and lives in the most demanding of environments.

He is currently deputy technical director for Qinetiq’s Force Protection business, with responsibility for developing robots and equipment to protect soldiers on the battlefield.

Among his achievements was leading the MoD research programme on landmine counter-measures.

He said he was “delighted and really quite surprised” to be told he was receiving the OBE.

Leo Quinn, Qinetiq’s chief executive, said: “Over the past 35 years a number of John’s innovative engineering solutions have helped save lives, increased safety and enhanced the deployment of troops and vehicles on the battlefield.”

Meanwhile, a civil servant from Aldershot who controls billions of pounds of taxpayers’ cash used to bail out the banks was appointed CBE in the honours list.

Louise Tulett, a senior director at UK Financial Investments – the agency that controls the government’s shares in nationalised banks – has been rewarded for her work on its board.

Ms Tulett was promoted to group director in June 2007 and is one of two women on the board of UKFI.

Amy Pickerill, from UKFI, said: “Louise was nominated for her achievements, including her contributions to the Treasury and through her seat on the treasury board. Louise is very proud of her honour.”

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