FROM the owner of an innovative museum to the First Knight of North Yorkshire farming, people across our region were today celebrating their inclusion in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

Stan Johnson, the owner of the Eden Camp modern history museum, near Malton, was said to be "over the moon" at being made an MBE.

Steve Jaques, from the award-winning attraction, said he knew Mr Johnson, who is abroad on business, was thrilled that his hard work and dedication to the innovative museum had been recognised.

"Back in the 1980s when he bought the site he took a complete gamble with everything he had on what people said was a crackpot idea. We have worked away over the years and have now created what is a national monument to all those people who served not just in the Second World War, but in many other conflicts before and since."

Easingwold farmer and president of the National Farmers' Union, Ben Gill, has become a Knight Bachelor.

Sir Ben, 53, received the honour for his work as leader of Britain's biggest farming union. He farms 360 acres of land at Hawk Hills, near Easingwold, producing cereals, sugar beet and sheep. He was elected NFU president in 1998. He is married to Carolyn and has four sons.

Brigadier Andrew Farquhar, former commanding officer of 15 (NE) Brigade and deputy colonel of the Green Howards, has been made a CBE. He headed the military response to flooding in York and Selby and is also known for leading the military operation to dispose of livestock culled during the foot and mouth crisis in the north of England. Brigadier Farquhar, who lives in York, with his wife and four children, went on to head a multi-national brigade in the Balkans which undertook peace support operations.

He is now chief of staff for regional forces at Land Command, in Wiltshire.

Knaresborough-based David Stockport, 54, the joint branch board secretary of North Yorkshire Police federation, has received an MBE. He said: "I am delighted to have been chosen to receive this honour. On a personal basis it shows that anyone in the organisation can receive recognition for bringing about change for the better." David joined the police service as a cadet in the then West Riding Constabulary in 1966. He has served at places including Harrogate and Northallerton, working in general patrol, CID and control room.

He is married to Maggie and has two sons.

Veteran actor Ian Carmichael, who is 83 next week, has been awarded the OBE. Mr Carmichael, who lives near Whitby and has guest-starred in Heartbeat and spin-off TV series The Royal, has been recognised for his services to drama in a career which has spanned seven decades.

The actor made his mark playing upper-class wag Bertie Wooster in the 1960s series The World of Wooster, and Dorothy L Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey in the 1970s.

Paul Brearley, of Church End, Cawood, said he was "delighted" to be appointed a CBE. The grandfather-of-four is director of information and methodology for the Social Services Inspectorate, working at the Department of Health in Leeds.

Mr Brearley said: "It is some proof to my wife that all she has put up with over many years has been appreciated somewhere."

Lifeboat coxswain Richard Constantine has been awarded the MBE for his services to Scarborough RNLI.

Mr Constantine retired in April after 20 years, but before then had sailed on at least 450 rescue missions from Scarborough lifeboat station. He said: "It is a reflection on the whole station, from the crew to the support staff, absolutely everyone."

Marion Simon, a magistrate from Harrogate, has been awarded the MBE for services to trade unions and workplace learning services in Yorkshire and Humberside.

Mrs Simon, who first became involved with the union movement 32 years ago, said: "I am delighted. My father was a strong trades unionist and I know this would have been a very proud day for him."

Dennis Harper, a former Humberside Police chief superintendent, is made an MBE for his services to young people and the community in Bridlington.

Mr Harper, 75, of Thoresby Avenue, Bridlington, has been chairman of Bridlington Club for Young People, which has about 200 members aged between 10 and 19, for more than 30 years. Mr Harper, who is married to Des, has two children and four grandchildren, said: "I was surprised but delighted. I feel very honoured."

Health chief Moira Britton, who has helped to shape mental health services in Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale, said she was "delighted and honoured" to be awarded an OBE for her services to the NHS. The 50-year-old chief executive of Tees and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust, lives in Yarm, Cleveland

Professor Dianne Joy Bowles, from the University, of York is made an OBE.

She lives in Pateley Bridge and joined the university in 1994, establishing the plant laboratory and a new research centre which specialises in plant and microbial sciences.

Wetherby man Chris O'Donnell, chief executive of Smith & Nephew, has received a knighthood for services to the medical devices industry world wide. Mr O'Donnell is a chartered mechanical engineer and joined Smith & Nephew in 1988.

Updated: 09:47 Saturday, June 14, 2003