Two South Holland district councillors have been recognised in the New Year Honours.
Photo (NIKKI GRIFFIN): VNG081214-30
Graham Dark and Michael Booth have been awarded the BEM (Medallist of the Order of the British Empire) for services to their respective communities.
Both had to keep news of their awards secret until the official announcement on Tuesday, after being informed a few months ago.
Mr Dark, who is a district councillor for Spalding St John’s ward and a retired Metropolitan Police chief superintendent, founded the Spalding 50+ Sports and Social Club. He has helped fundraise more than £34,000 for the charity Help For Heroes.
Mr Booth (73) is vice-chairman of Sutton Bridge and Wingland Parish Council. He also represents Sutton Bridge ward on the district council.
He said: “I’m very, very pleased and honoured that people feel I’m worthy of nomination. I’ve got an idea who it was, but I daren’t say!”
He started as a parish councillor in Lutton in 1969, serving until 2002 and has been on the district council since 1979, first representing Long Sutton and, from 2007, Sutton Bridge.
Mr Booth was instrumental in founding the Market House project in Long Sutton, which – alongside St Mary’s Church in Long Sutton – was one of the beneficiaries of his fundraising work which has raised around £40,000 over 30 years.
He was also chairman of the working party which oversaw the first privatisation by former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher when she came to power in 1979. Sutton Bridge Estate was sold by the Ministry of Agriculture to Land Improvement Group, headed by Peter Clery, who went on to establish Port Sutton Bridge.
