PEOPLE working in the fields of policing, health, voluntary services and sport are among a deserving dozen from Gwent to be named in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

They are among more than 1,150 police across Britain to have been recognised for a huge range of contributions to different sectors of society.

Three members past and present of the staff of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board have received an honour for their work in different areas of the NHS.

Jan Smith, until her retirement last year the health board's executive director for therapies and health science, has been awarded an MBE for services to therapy services in Wales.

In a career of close to 40 years Mrs Smith, who lives in Nantyderry, has held a range of posts, first mainly in physiotherapy, but then representing other therapies when becoming the first therapy advisor to the Welsh Government in 2002, a role which has helped raise the profile of therapy services in the NHS in Wales.

She said she was "taken aback" at receiving the MBE, but said it is a "lovely surprise" and a tribute too to people working in therapy services across Wales.

Another MBE recipient from the health board is advanced nurse practitioner Yvonne Jordan, who works at the Royal Gwent Hospital, recognised for her services to nursing in Wales.

Rhiannon Davies, Welsh language officer at the health board, receives a British Empire Medal for services to the promotion of the Welsh language in the NHS in south east Wales.

Miss Davies, of Abergavenny, is also chairman of Menter Iaith in the Monmouthshire, Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent areas, the organisation seeking to raise the profile of the Welsh language at community level, and is chairman of governors at Ysgol Gymraeg Y Fenni.

Responsible for promoting the use of Welsh among health board staff, she said it is vital that patients who wish to receive their care through that medium should have the opportunity to do so.

Already an OBE, Cilla Davies has been awarded a CBE for voluntary services to the community in South Wales.

The last chairman of the former Gwent Police Authority, Mrs Davies is a justice of the peace, and a deputy lord lieutenant of Gwent. In 2011 she was given an honorary fellowship by the then University of Wales Newport for her services to community cohesion and social justice.

Sports Wales director of elite performance Brian Davies, aged 50, of Portskewett, has received an OBE for services to sport in Wales.

He headed Team Wales at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last year, and he is humbled to receive the honour.

“It’s fantastic.," he said. "I am humbled to be honest, mainly because the honour is on behalf of a team which I headed up. I owe them a debt for their performance.”

Mohammed Umar Hussain, assistant chief officer of South Wales Police, receives an MBE for services to policing, including through his work with the South Wales Police Youth Trust which aims to prevent youth from entering into criminal activity.

The 52-year-old, who lives in Langstone, said he loves a job that enables him to make a difference in the communities he serves, and added: "It (the award of the MBE) hasn’t sunk in yet even though I received the letter five weeks ago."

Lynn Tanner, of Blaenavon, receives an MBE for services to the community in Torfaen.

The former chairman of Torfaen Voluntary Alliance, originally a Macmillan nurse, still sits on the TVA board, and is "really pleased" but said the honour "feels a bit unreal."

Currently, Mrs Tanner works with Care Homes Ask and Talk (CHAaT), a health board project with seeks the views of care home residents on their care

There are tow other Gwent recipients of an MBE - farmer David Morgan, of Usk, for services to agriculture and for voluntary service to the agricultural community in Monmouthshire, and Mrs Caroline Peters, who lives in Penallt, and is chief superintendent and an area commander with Avon and Somerset Constabulary. her award is for services to policing.

Detective Constable Hywel Wyn Griffiths, of Gwent Police, has been awarded the Queen's Police Medal.

A British Empire Medal has been awarded to Albert Skeates, of Tredegar, for services to the community in Blaenau Gwent.

And Lord Lieutenant of Gwent, Simon Boyle, becomes a Knight Commander (KCVO) of the Royal Victorian Order.