Olympic boxer Luke Campbell made MBE in New Year Honours

OLYMPIC boxing hero Luke Campbell has rounded off a spectacular year by being made an MBE in the New Year Honours.

Luke, 25, has been honoured for his services to boxing after clinching gold at London 2012 in the bantamweight division.

He received a hero's welcome when he returned to Hull after his famous gold medal victory against Irishman John Joe Nevin.

Luke, of west Hull, said: "I have known about the MBE for a while but couldn't tell anyone.

"Luckily, I have been so busy, I haven't had much chance to let it slip to anyone.

"It was brilliant when I found out I had been given this great honour.

"Not many people can say they have received an MBE."

Luke admits his whole family were delighted when he told them a few days ago.

He said: "Everyone is buzzing and my family are all so happy.

"I'm not sure if all the gold medalists have been recognised but I'd like to think this is for my boxing career as a whole.

"I'm the most successful British amateur boxer in history."

This will be the second time Luke has met the Queen after all the Olympic gold-winning athletes attended a reception in October.

He said: "I will have the pleasure and honour of meeting the Queen for a second time and I'm really looking forward to it."

Luke is preparing for his role in next year's Dancing On Ice reality television show.

When that is completed in March he will consider whether to turn professional.

He said: "Training is going OK for Dancing On Ice.

"Once that finishes I will have plenty of time to consider my future."

Luke is just one of several people across East Yorkshire to received accolades from the Queen.

The man who helped turn around the fortunes of Preston Road in east Hull has also been honoured with an MBE.

Richard Davies is the former chief executive of the Preston Road New Deal for Communities which helped regenerate what was once a very rundown area.

He said: "I am, of course, delighted to be honoured in this way, but setting up and running the New Deal was really a team effort.

"There are so many people who made it happen. First and foremost is John Prescott, because he was the Minister who took the bold step of giving 39 deprived communities across England £50m to improve their communities.

"Second comes the community leaders Ray and Kath Birch were there right at the beginning.

"Sadly, Ray passed away, but then the baton passed to Don Smallwood and Jean Toker, who were always hugely supportive, as were all the people I worked with to make Preston Road a better place.

"This award is as much for them as for me."

Humberside Police's Deputy Chief Constable David Griffin has been awarded the Queen's Police Medal.

The award recognises his work leading national motorcycle safety policy and chairing the Chief Police Officers Staff Association's panel of friends, which supports senior officers facing misconduct allegations.

Mr Griffin said: "I am absolutely delighted and it is really uplifting to have been recognised in this way.

"The award is given as a consequence of nomination by colleagues, so I am really pleased to have been recognised not just by my own chief constable, but others around the country.

"I am really excited about the prospect of going down to the palace to receive the award, and so is my wife.

"Although this is an individual honour, it also reflects well on the force and the men and women I am very proud to work with."

Others honoured include Erica Hill, of Hull, who was made an OBE for services to children and young people.

She is a support worker for Catch-Up Charity Ltd which helps children struggling with numeracy and literacy.

Former chair of Governors at Hull College, Eric Twigger, of Hull, was made an MBE for services to further education.

Beverley author Valerie Thornhill has received the British Empire Medal for services to Adult Education in East Yorkshire.

She is the founder of VISTA, an organisation teaching art and spends much of her time in Italy.

Goole resident Peter McNestry was made an MBE for services to Coalfield Communities and was former chair of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust in Rotherham.

Former chair of cross sector group Hull One Sylvia Yates was made an OBE for services to Sheffield City Region and Humber Regeneration.