New Year hnours for two community-minded Sleaford area residents

Michael Credland, 50, of Martin, has been awarded the British Empire Medal for “services to First World War Heritage and Remembrance”.

Yvonne Jardine, 66, of Folkingham was awarded for services to the community.

The medals will be presented later by Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire, Toby Dennis.

Mr Credland said: “I am quite honoured, but very surprised. Am I worth it really? Those that should get it are those poor devils that fought and died. All I am doing is making sure we do not forget their deeds. If we cannot take a bit of time to do that, it is a sad day.”

The retired architect has spent more than 25 years researching war memorials, getting them revamped and designing new memorials.

In 2006 a memorial was unveiled for the battle of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, from the Battle of Loos, where the comrades of the 46th (North Midland) Division, including territorial units from Lincolnshire, fought and died in an attack on October 13, 1915, taking massive casualties.

Mr Credland said: “The field was being used by the land owner as a rubbish dump and we started a campaign and got it stopped and then I designed a memorial with funding from the Lincolnshire Co-op.”

In 2012/13, he had another memorial unveiled in Sobraon Park, Lincoln to mark when the Lincolnshire Regiment finally hung up their colours. He also designed the tank memorial on Tritton Road.

He travels to various battlefields, has written a book on Lincolnshire war memorials and does talks and exhibitions of artefacts from the Great Wars. He is exhibiting currently at Cranwell Aviation Heritage Centre and is involved in commemorations of the centenary of the RAF and the end of the First World War this year.

He said: “My great uncle Frank was a Regimental Sergeant Major in the 5th Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment and as kids he used to tell us stories and I just grew up with it, watching with fascination a TV series on the Great War.”

His father served in North Africa in the Second World War.

Mr Credland worked for NKDC and as clerk to Metheringham Parish council, organising the Metheringham Fayre and Feast for many years.

○ On her award, Mrs Jardine said it was a huge surprise and a great honour, adding: “I’m stunned, I’m sure other people deserve this more than I do.”

The retired garden designer has always worked to get the community together and to raise funds for charity.

She said: “I have been chairman of the village hall for 20 years and we run a Pop-in Club on a Monday which has been going for 17 years, where lots of people come and chat, play carpet bowls and have some lunch, so we make sure no-one is left out.

“It is an amazing village. I come up with ideas but get lots of people willing to help.”

She helped buy and develop the Millennium Green next to the hall and has been a church warden for 15 years.