Eleven people from Norfolk receive British Empire Medals in Norwich
They were given their medals by the Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk, Lady Dannatt MBE
Eleven people from across Norfolk received their British Empire Medal in Norwich yesterday afternoon, for their service to the community.
Twenty people from Norwich were awarded with a medal from the Queen, but the vast majority were all presented by the Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk, Lady Dannatt MBE.
This being because the traditional large-scale presentations at Buckingham Palace, remains unfeasible due to the pandemic.
She told us it was a real pleasure to give out these awards:
"Humbling and joyful in equal measure I'd say. Such a cross-section of wonderful people that have done so much in their individual corners of Norfolk and impacted hugely on the county. Many people here have been life-changers and life-savers".
"We always certainty always need to celebrate. A lot of people focus on the bad news and there is a lot of bad news going around. But my, there is so much good going on in our county, and that's really exciting. The good always outweighs the bad and the negative".
She also said a scaled-down, local set-up, certainty has its perks
"I think it is a more intimate ceremony. It certainly is more personal, although they don't get the privilege of going to Buckingham Palace and meeting a royal, they certainty do get the chance to bring more family than they normally would, and we look after them. We give them a glass of champagne and there's food available. We have chats and photographs, along with a lot of laughter".
Lady Dannatt concluded by saying that she'd love to hold this type of ceremony again:
"It rather depends on how many awards we are given in the county, but I'm all for celebrating awards and thanking people at every opportunity. So, yes the Norfolk Club has been really generous in offering its premises. It's a lovely place to have it, it's warm, right in the heart of the city and I'd say the very essence of Norfolk".