Congratulations to Claire Layland, originally from Midsomer Norton and who still has family in the area, for being awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to special educational needs.

Claire will collect her award at Buckingham Palace within the next six months, after being nominated by her Mentor and Manager. She says she is "highly honoured" to receive such an accolade.

"I started life in Midsomer Norton and having moved to Radstock, attended St Nicholas Infant and Junior School, followed by Norton Hill School," says Claire. "I was Head Girl there from 1979–80.

"I was introduced to the world of Special Educational Needs when I did my work experience at a Special School on Frome Hill, Radstock, and I also helped with the Gateway Club, when my dad, John Mounty, was the President of the local Lions Club.

"I studied Psychology at Plymouth, where I met my future husband, who was studying Biological Sciences. From there, I took up a position as a Housemother for children with behavioural and emotional difficulties at the Cotswold Chine Home School, before taking a PGCE at Derby University.

"Jobs were in short supply and I took my first teaching post in Thamesmead, South London, and worked in the evening as a Housemother for children with physical difficulties at Charlton Park Residential Special School.

"In 1987, I married Steve, who had pursued his own career and was a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and had been stationed on a ship in Plymouth. So we decided to move back there together. After being the Special Needs Co-ordinator at Mount Wise Primary School for several years, I left to have my own child, Tom.

"I returned to work as a Specialist Teacher, working with the paediatric team at the local child development centre in the assessment of pre-schoolchildren with additional needs. I continued this work in the community as an Advisory Teacher for several years, before running the specialist Mary Budding Nursery at Tavistock Primary School.

"Whilst I was doing further studies in Speech, Language and Communication Needs at Birmingham University in 1999, I became the teacher in charge of a new provision for primary children with autism at Goosewell Primary School.

"From there, I provided outreach to support mainstream schools across Plymouth with pupils at all key stages with autism spectrum conditions. As the numbers of children on the caseload increased, I

became the Team Leader of an advisory team.

"Over fifteen years, this grew to become part of the multi-disciplinary Children's Integrated Disability Service, where I was Team Manager for the autism, language, hearing and vision advisory teams. Our work involved supporting over 100 schools in the city, as well as families and young people. This included devising and delivering a great deal of training for parents, school staff and other agencies, as well as supporting young people to understand their conditions and those of their peers. In collaboration with a colleague, Plymouth City Council and Plymouth University, I planned and continue to deliver a Post Graduate Certificate in Autism for teachers and other professionals.

"I was nominated for the MBE on leaving the service last year, by my Mentor, Jo Siney, who is a truly inspiring and dedicated Service Manager. I have been very fortunate to have received excellent support and training and have worked alongside highly dedicated colleagues across multi-agency teams and with the most fantastic children, young people and families.

"I am very grateful for the support of my parents, John and Sylvia Mounty, who have been married for 61 years and still live in Midsomer Norton. I am now enjoying life on Dartmoor with my husband, who has retired from the Royal Navy after 31 years."

Also named locally in the Queen's Birthday Honours List this year were Professor Christopher Gordon Hodge, from Frome, Chief Electrical Engineer, BMT Defence Services Ltd, for services to Royal Navy Engineering who received an OBE, Professor Christopher John Budd, Professor in Applied Mathematics at the University of Bath, who receives an OBE for services to Science and Mathematical Education, and Paul John Hooper, J.P. Society Secretary, Royal Bath and West of England Society and Secretary of the Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations, for services to the Agricultural Show, (Shepton Mallet), who also receives an OBE.