Beverley to be awarded an MBE

Beverley Burns is due to take a trip to Buckingham Palace this year in recognition of her involvement with the Trading Standards Service in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment within the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

Mrs Burns, wife of Councillor Ian Burns, is also an Independent member of the area’s District Policing Partnership, on which she has served for a number of years.

The local woman spoke of her shock at being awarded such an honour. “We had been away on holiday and arrived back to find a letter telling me I was on the New Year’s Honours List.“I was in shock and completely overwhelmed. Ian is very proud and I am looking forward to telling the rest of my family. I really do not feel worthy of such a prestigious honour but I’m absolutely thrilled at the news.”

Mrs Burns said she loves her job, which involves advising people on their consumer rights. She hopes to travel to London with her husband and mother for the ceremony later this year.

Mrs Burns follows in the footsteps of recent honourees Councillor Jim McElroy, Invest NI worker Violet McCabe and Dromore woman Helen McFadden for services to the community.