Amazing Grace!
Reporter: BEATRIZ AYALA and KAREN DOHERTY
Date published: 31 December 2009
Great-grandmother among fantastic four on New Year honours list
A FAILSWORTH great-grandmother is rubbing shoulders with a Hollywood superstar after four local heroes were recognised in the New Year honours.
Dedicated volunteer Grace Barnett (79), of Victoria Street, has been awarded an MBE for services to the community.
Mrs Barnett moved to Failsworth from Manchester when she was just two and has been helping the community ever since.
A trip to see the Queen is now on the cards as a thank-you for all her hard work and dedication.
Mrs Barnett, who has three daughters, six grandchildren, one great-grandchild and two more on the way, said: “I’m still a bit in shock and I have no idea who nominated me.
“I was told in October that I’d been recommended for the award but I’ve heard nothing since until now.
“When I told my daughters, they were all quite thrilled and said ‘You’ll have to get a hat now.’”
A keen euphonium player for 70 years, Mrs Barnett joined Failsworth Brass Band in 1946 when it was still Newton Heath Silver Band and is now band secretary.
The retired office worker has volunteered for Failsworth and Oldham Citizens’ Advice Bureau for 18 years, and is involved in the Failsworth Physically Handicapped Group.
To top it all, she is a committee member at Failsworth Historical Society and is involved with the Failsworth and Hollinwood District Partnership.
Mrs Barnett, who is also a trained pattern cutter and dress designer, believes being raised in the Salvation Army church inspired her life-long commitment to community causes.
She said: “You learn to put back into the community, get involved, and automatically help people who need it.
“Being awarded an MBE is a bit frightening really, it is something to live up to and I hope that is something I can do.
“I’ll definitely keep volunteering until they tell me I’m too old.”
Meanwhile, Oldham College principal Kath Thomas (58) is celebrating her retirement today with a CBE.
She said “it was amazing” when she opened the letter telling her she was being honoured for services to further education.
Ms Thomas was appointed Oldham College principal in 2004 and has been instrumental in the work to transform the borough through education.
Originally from South Wales, she studied at Aberystwyth University and with the Open University before completing a masters degree in business administration from Durham University.
Her first teaching post was at a school in Lincolnshire and she then went on to work in different types of colleges.
“What attracted me to further education was working with adults and giving them a second opportunity when they might not have done so well at school,” said Ms Thomas.
“It is also working with young people of all abilities, and seeing them become successful.
“I am particularly dedicated to vocational education. My husband is an engineer and I think there is not enough parity of esteem between vocational and academic education. If this country wants to do well on an economic front, we have got to get the brightest people into businesses. We can do that by getting the brightest people on to vocational courses.” Ms Thomas lives in Richmond, West Yorkshire, and her interests include collecting antiquarian cook books.
She and her husband are creating an eco home in France and she added: “What I really enjoy in Oldham is the way people work in partnership.
“That means we can get so much more done.”
Also making the list is the captain of the Starship Enterprise who has been awarded a knighthood.
Actor Patrick Stewart — who is helping to inspire the next generation of stars in Oldham — said he was “very proud” to be honoured following his return to the British stage after many years living in Los Angeles.
The 69-year-old star, from Mirfield, West Yorkshire, is Chancellor of Huddersfield University and opened its University Campus Oldham in 2005.
He then returned in 2008 to unveil the £5.5 million University Studios extension, holding a drama workshop for performing arts students.
The “X–Men” star was famously turned down by Oldham Rep at the start of his career and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in his 20s.
He shot to fame as Captain Jean–Luc Picard in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and recently appeared in “Waiting for Godot” alongside Sir Ian McKellen.
The Queen is reported to be a fan and Mr Stewart has been awarded a knighthood for services to drama.
He said: “I am very proud to receive this honour. The theatre is and has always been my great joy.
“In particular the past six years have given me acting opportunities that at one time I could not have imagined possible.”
And there’s an MBE for Bernard John Keay of Dobcross, who is chairman of the Department of Work and Pensions’ Health and Social Security Recreational Association.
TWO theatrical high-fliers who started their careers in Manchester have gained top New Year honours.
Manchester-born Nicholas Hytner, now director of the National Theatre in London, has been knighted, and Phyllida Lloyd has been awarded the CBE.
Both are former associate directors of Manchester’s Royal Exchange theatre.
