The founder of Global Generation Church and the former fundraising chair of the Marlowe Theatre are among named in the New Year's Honours list.

Twenty three people from Kent have been given an award for their services to their community.

Michael Andrea,44, from Ramsgate, has been recognised for his services to social empowerment in Thanet.

He set up Global Generation Church in 2002 and developed the Pipeline Youth Initative in 1996 which tackles local issues such as deprivation, unemployment, NEETs and homeleness.

Mr Andrea will be given a British Empire Medal. He said: "I was a bit surprised, wasn't expecting it at all. I felt like a little bit of a fraud because the reality is that everything we do is down to the team we work with and the many volunteers working on all kinds of things in the area.

"My self and my wife started doing youth work in Thanet 22 years ago which has evolved into a church we started with friends called Global Generation."

Hear more about Michael's work here

An OBE has been awarded to well-respected surgeon John Beavis, who passed away earlier this month.

Mr Beavis, from Rochester, receives the honour for his services to victims of war and disaster.

He worked as an orthopaedic and trauma surgeon in the National Health Service until his coronary bypass at the age of 53.

At the age of 74 instead of taking it easy at the home he shared with wife Kate, he chose to go to the Gaza Strip to help hard-pressed doctors treat the wounded.

In his latter years he was heavily involved in the charity MAP, Medical Aid for Palestinians and uring the Falklands war he was a Royal Marine Reserve surgeon.

Chair of Canterbury4Business and former chair of fundraising for the Marlow Theatre Development Trust, Paul Barrett is finally being recognised for his services to fundraising and the community.

Mr Barrett was a leading figure in raising cash for the restoration of the cathedral and is a trustee of Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex.

A large part of his fundraising is through cycling, which included a trip from Canterbury to Rome.

He said: "I am very proud and absolutely delighted - it was a total surprise to me and was completely unexpected.

"Probably my most satisfying fundraising project was being part of a small group of fantastic people who managed to raise £4.5 million to enable the new Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury to be built. Many people said it couldn’t be done but the people of Kent are very generous, and we did it."

Listen to Paul's story here

Former head teacher David Hayward is set British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to the community in east Kent.

Mr Hayward, who was head at Hampton Primary School in Herne Bay for 18 years, retired nearly 11 years ago and has since dedicated his free time to helping the Whitstable area.

The 68-year-old from Tankerton volunteers as visits officer for RNLI Whitstable, and chairman of Canterbury and District Neighbourhood Watch Association.

He and his wife Viv also founded Whitstable Sessions - a group that aims to bring live musical entertainment to the town - and Friends of Tankerton Bay, which organises beach cleans to help keep the area tidy.

Mr Hayward said: "They say that for teachers, there's no such thing as a total retirement. Our working lives have been about building communities of different groups of people. So as long as we have the time and the health, we'll continue to do that as much as we can."

Elsewhere, Graeme Connell, founder of the West Kent Debt Advice, has been acknowledged in the New Year honours list for offering vital advice to people struggling with finances.

It was started by Mr Connell and a few other volunteers in 2003, as the debt explosion put existing agencies under strain.

He gave his time freely to help those in need while also holding down a career in risk management.

Mr Connell said: "The award came as a complete surprise, I had no idea I was nominated. I am absolutely thrilled that the invaluable work of everyone has been recognised in this way."

Mr Connell explained that although there was a great need 15 years ago, in-depth support is needed now more than ever.

Other winners include:

CBE

Tacita Dean, OBE. Artist. For services to Art. (Kent)

OBE

Mark James Brooks. Chair of Trustees Mankind Initiative Charity. For services to Male Victims of Domestic Abuse. (Belvedere, Kent)

David Fairclough. Assistant director Immigration Enforcement, Home Office. For services to Law Enforcement and to Tackling Organised Crime in the UK and Overseas. (Kent)

Derek Edward Harris. Member Minds Matter Trading Activities Board. For services to charity and to Charitable Fundraising. (Ashford, Kent)

Gerald William Heddell. Director for the Inspections Enforcement and Standards Division, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. For services to Healthcare. (Ashford, Kent)

Rory Cassian Love. Chairman Conservative Councillors' Association. For public and political service. (Folkestone, Kent)

Cornelius Michael O'Connor. Deputy director National Army Museum. For services to Military Heritage. (Maidstone, Kent)

MBE

Paul Jonathan Barrett. For services to Fundraising and to the community in Canterbury. Kent. (Wickhambreaux, Kent)

Derek Alan May. Special chief inspector Kent Police. For services to Policing and to the community in Kent. (Rochester, Kent)

Dr Nigel Philip Sykes. Formerly Medical director St Christopher's Palliative, London. For services to Palliative Care. (Beckenham, Kent)

James Traynor. Senior Officer Child Exploitation and Online Protection, National Crime Agency. For services to Law Enforcement. (Kent)

Eileen Ann Vassie. Governor Chelsfield Primary School. For services to Education. (Orpington, Kent)

BEM

Nicholas Austin. For political service. (Crayford, Kent)

Linda Collins. For services to the community in Faversham and Canterbury. Kent. (Canterbury, Kent)

James Idwal Davies. For services to Coal Mining Heritage in East Kent. (Deal, Kent)

David Malcolm Duvall Hayward. For services to the community in East Kent. (Whitstable, Kent)

Carey Trafford Marsh. For services to Sailing and to the community in Tenterden Kent. (Tenterden, Kent)

Joan Evelyn Pantony. Scout Leader 5th Sittingbourne Scout Group. For services to Young People. (Rainham, Kent)

Rosemarie Pysarczuk. Cabinet Committee Correspondence Officer Department for Education. For services to Education. (Bromley, Kent)

Johanna Alexandra Rohan. Chair Canterbury Unit, Sea Cadet Corps. For voluntary service to Young People in Kent. (Boughton, Kent)

Keith Mitchel Rumens. Border Force Officer Coquelles, South East and Europe Command, Home Office. For services to Customs and Border Security. (Kent)

Alan Smith. Special Sergeant British Transport Police. For services to Policing. (Margate, Kent)

Judith Ann Madeleine Tracey. Information Officer Road Safety Standards, Department for Transport. For services to Transport. (Westerham, Kent)

Julian Nigel West. For services to the community in Woodchurch Kent. (Woodchurch, Kent)

QUEEN'S POLICE MEDAL

Alison Jane Roden. Formerly chief Superintendent Kent Police.