Louise honoured for 'work to make Plymouth better'

A WOMAN who has spent more than 30 years “making Plymouth a better place” is among those who have been honoured by King Charles. Louise Kelley is one of more than 1,000 people from across the UK to be recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours list.

Others from the Plymouth area who have been awarded honours include Moira Marder DL, chief executive officer of the Ted Wragg Trust and Professor Judith Irene Petts CBE, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Plymouth, for services to Higher Education and Sustainability who receives the Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE).

Ms Kelley, the former sports development manager for Plymouth City Council, has been awarded an MBE in recognition of her services to health and wellbeing in the city. She worked at the council for 34 years before recently transferring to council-owned company Plymouth Active Leisure (PAL).

Her work over the years has included setting up programmes that help the most vulnerable residents in the city access food, wellbeing and sporting services. In 2014, she coordinated the city’s first free targeted Holiday Hunger Programme (Schools Out).

Ms Kelley said: “I am humbled to accept this honour from His Majesty the King. It is quite the surprise. But I am very clear, it is not just an award for me, it is an acknowledgement of the efforts and commitment of many at Plymouth City Council, particularly those in the Sports Development Team, who have worked with me on these programmes and deserve to share in my award.