Meet three of the Lincolnshire people in the Queen’s Jubilee Birthday Honours list

Three people from Lincolnshire were among those to be recognised in HM The Queen’s Jubilee Birthday Honours list 2022.

The honours list marks the incredible public service of individuals across the UK in celebration of Her Majesty’s unprecedented 70 years of service.

In tribute to The Queen, recipients have been awarded for their outstanding contributions across all sectors, but in particular for sustained public service, the environment and sustainability, and youth engagement.

An impressive 1,002 candidates were selected at BEM, MBE and OBE level alone, and we spoke to three of the proud winners from Lincolnshire.

Amerigo ‘Eric’ Fragale – MBE

Amerigo Fragale, known to many as Eric, was awarded an MBE for services to education.

The 60-year-old from Cowbit in Lincolnshire is joint deputy head of governors at Spalding High School (an all girls school until sixth form) and has dedicated over 15 years of his life to the education establishment.

He joined as a parent governor in 2005 and, after his daughter left the school, he continued to work there and around a year ago took on the role of joint deputy head of governors.

Hs is working with the senior and pastoral teams and introducing the work to various groups such as the Shaw Trust, whose aim is to help people improve their mental and physical health, and to strengthen and take control of their overall wellbeing.

Eric, whose parents are Italian, was also instrumental in the introduction of the anti-bullying Diana award. After his daughter Domenique, who attends the school, helped him introduce the campaign into Spalding High School, he worked closely with the Diana Trust to organise a training day.

The training day at Spalding High School was also opened to several local secondary schools, allowing more students to train as anti-bullying ambassadors.

In addition, Eric has also been a committed fundraiser for leukaemia charities and raised thousands of pounds since 2001, including from participating in Ride London.

He told The Lincolnite: “I saw the envelope had arrived but took no notice of it at all initially. My wife eventually opened it and presented this letter and I wondered what it was about.

“I read it three or four times and it took a while to sink in. I’m very honoured and grateful for being nominated.

“It’s all part of a jigsaw puzzle of which I am a small part, and I am honoured to be part of this school. I am part of a big team, including amazing teachers and management team, and wonderful heads including Michelle Anderson who is there now, and Tim Clark. We are short of governors in this country and hopefully this can help lift the profile.

“The school means an awful lot to me. We are always there listening, looking, learning, and every child matters. We have to give them the best education possible.”

Kristine Lisa Green – BEM

Grimsby-born Kristine Lisa Green was awarded a BEM for services to Association Football in North East Lincolnshire.

The 37-year-old has been chair of the Mariners Trust, a group of Grimsby Town fans who work entirely on a voluntary basis, since March 2021 and has been a fan of the football club for her whole life. She is also the first ever female director of Grimsby Town Football Club.

She is currently playing a leading role in the Fair Game collective, a group of clubs who have come together to contribute to the Fan-led Governance Review of Football led by Tracey Crouch, who is MP for Chatham & Aylesford.

She was also the first ever Supporter Liaison Officer for the club and in 2017 she was shortlisted by Club Supporter Liaison Officer of the Year by the Football Supporters Federation.

For the past four years, Kristine has also been a session facilitator for local charity Friendship at Home. The secessions are held every Wednesday morning at Grimsby Town’s Blundell Park and cater for individuals with various stages of dementia, those suffering from depression or loneliness, and people who just like to talk about football.

Kristine told The Lincolnite: “My genuine first reaction was that it was some sort of prank, so I rang them up to check and it was real. I’ve had four weeks to come to terms with it and it’s still not sinking in, but it is lovely to hear and to be nominated, I feel really honoured.”

Grimsby will place Solihull Moors in the National League play-off final at West Ham’s London Stadium on Sunday, June 5 for a place in the English Football League.

Kristine, who will be attending the final and cheering her beloved Mariners on, said: “I think the last couple off weeks on a personal level have been bizarre. Even the last game of the season, to then going to Notts County and getting a last minute equaliser and winner, to beating Wrexham, I can’t believe what was going on before my eyes.

“When you come down into the National League clubs aren’t in a great place. The turnaround in a short space of time is no mean feat on and off the pitch. Nobody wants to lose that final, but all is not lost if we do and we are in a stronger position going into next season whichever league that may be.”

Dr Liam Vincent Fleming – OBE

Dr Liam Vincent Fleming, known to many as Vin, was awarded an OBE for services to the environment.

The 64-year-old from Bourne is the Co-Leader of the International Advice Team at the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC).

He started his work in government nature conservation agencies back in 1985, working in Scotland for an organisation which later became Scottish Natural Heritage. He then joined JNCC where he has worked for over two decades since 1998, and is involved in a lot of international negotiations, in big multi-lateral environmental agreements.

Vin told The Lincolnite: “I was very shocked and surprised. It was completed unexpected, but a very pleasant surprise.

“It’s very flattering to be recognised in this way and knowing colleagues of mine and people in the UK government thought sufficiently highly of me to make a nomination of me on my behalf. 

“I think JNCC is a fairly well kept secret. Our main role is advising government on nature conversation and a lot of that work is behind the scenes and involves a lot of hard slog, preparation, and bringing evidence together to help advice them on policy.”

Kai Adegbembo – MBE

In addition, Kai Adegbembo has been appointed an MBE for services to education. Former police officer Mr Adegbembo, 62, is from East Yorkshire, and is currently an associate lecturer at the University of Lincoln. He is also chair of governors at Scarborough TEC.