Seven RNLI volunteers were honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Lady Sarah Pigot, chairman of the RNLI’s Isle of Wight Board since the late 1980s and RNLI trustee Victoria Wright were awarded OBEs; volunteer Captain Neil Hardy won an MBE and fundraiser  Kenneth  Headley and 17-year-old Natasha Lambert and Natasha Lambert were awarded Medal of the Order of the British Empire for services to maritime safety and services to charity.

Also named OBE was 98-year-old Barry High, from Gloucestershire, for services to charity and to the community. Barry is a fervent supporter of the RNLI and a keen sailor and was the biggest donor behind Ilfracombe’s new state-of-the-art £2m Shannon class lifeboat.

In response to Mr High’s honour, RNLI chief executive Paul Boissier said: “I am delighted that Mr High is being recognised with an OBE. The charity, and specifically the volunteer crew at Ilfracombe, is extremely grateful for the significant donation made by Mr High, which has provided the station with their new state of the art Shannon class lifeboat.”

Also named were Michael Keith Palmer, chairman of the Waterway Recovery Group, who was awarded and MBE for voluntary service to the restoration of British waterways and Major Michael Wyatt won a BEM for services to the restoration of the Reading section of the Kennet and Avon Canal.

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Also awarded an OBE was Marchioness Action Group chair Margaret Lockwood-Croft for services to river safety.

The 20 named were:

• Mr Robert Adair of the Belfast Harbour Commissioners becomes CBE for services to the UK ports industry and voluntary service to business in northern Ireland.
• Professor Christopher Gordon Freng becomes OBE for services to Royal Navy engineering.
• Ms Margaret Lockwood-Croft, chair, Marchioness Action Group was awarded an OBE for services to river safety.
• Lady Sarah Pigot was named OBE for services to the community in the Isle of Wight.
• Mr Howard Lindsay Wood, chairman of the Community of Arran Seabed Trust, was made OBE for services to the marine environment.
• Mrs Victoria Mary Petra Wright, trustee, Royal National Lifeboat Institution was awarded an OBE for services to maritime safety.
• Mr James Bullar, head of nautical studies, London Nautical School was awarded an OBE for services to Maritime Education and voluntary service to maritime safety.
• Mr Barry High was awarded an OBE for services to charity and to the community in Blockley, Gloucestershire.
• Mrs Elizabeth Ann Chambers, lately district chairman, Sea Cadet Corps gained an MBE for voluntary service to the Sea Cadet Corps on Teesside.
• Mrs Patricia Hazel Davis, was awarded an MBE for services to the community, particularly to the Rivertime Boat Trust in Berkshire.
• Captain Amir Akbar Esmiley, surveyor in charge, of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency won an MBE for services to seafarers.
• Mr Gwyn Griffiths, founder and principal of Autonomous Analytics was awarded an MBE for services to marine science.
• Royal National Lifeboat Institution volunteer Captain Neil Michael Hardy won an MBE for services to maritime safety.
• Mr Michael Keith Palmer, chairman of the Waterway Recovery Group was awarded and MBE for voluntary service to the restoration of British waterways.
• Research Ship Manager Captain Robin Charles Plumley of the National Oceanography Centre won and MBE for services to Marine Science.
• Mr Iain Shepherd, marine systems director of MARCOM Defence was awarded an MBE for services to the marine sector and the economy in Chichester, West Sussex.
• Mr Bryan Watts, a port operative at Port of Bristol won an MBE for services to the Shipping Industry.
• Mr Christopher Welsh, director, global and European policy at the Freight Transport Association was award an MBE for services to shippers and the shipping industry.
• Cornwall Marine Network chief executive Paul Wickes won an MBE for services to the marine industry and the community in Falmouth, Cornwall.
• RNLI fundraiser Mr Kenneth Headley was awarded a Medal of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) for services to Maritime Safety.
• A BEM was also awarded to Mr Allan Jones, honorary president of the Edmonton Sea Cadet Corps for voluntary service.
• Major Michael Wyatt also won a BEM, for services to the restoration of the Reading section of the Kennet and Avon Canal.
• Mrs Edna Heappey was awarded a BEM for services to charity and to the community in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands.
• Miss Natasha Lambert was awarded a BEM for for services to charity, notably the RNLI.