An MP and the boss of a group responsible for some of the best street parties in Kent have been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

Tracey Crouch has been awarded a CBE for her parliamentary and public service while Gurvinder Sandher is now an MBE for his service to the arts with Cohesion Plus.

Gurvinder Sandher speaks about his MBE

Kent Equality Officer and artistic director of Cohesion Plus Mr Sandher found out at the end of April that he had been made an MBE.

"It is not something that you expect," he said. "It is very surreal in the sense that when I saw the letter, there are a bunch of bills that come and look like this.

"I opened it assuming it was another bill because it arrived at the office rather than my house. I opened it up and saw it was from the Cabinet Office which obviously peaked my interest straight away. It was very surreal and humbling at the same time."

He added: "I am particularly pleased that my parents will be able to see and enjoy this moment. I mean I think people sometimes forget, I am son of inmigrants. My parents arrived in the early 60s so they went through many hardships as did I growing up.

"They will be surprised and shocked. for someone from a working class background this is not the kind of thing that happens to us, that is why it is so humbling.

"This is not just a reward for myself and my family but the community groups we have been working with for many, many years.

"The fact that it coincides with the Platinum Jubilee, for me, made it extra special. I am really, really proud. I cannot express how humbled I was to receive this award."

Although, he is not sure on the next steps in terms of receiving the award he said "it is recognition for our work and contribution we make" that is important.

Gurvinder added: "I would like to thank my family because they know the long hours it takes to do this type of work. But beyond that, our community partners from across Kent and our local authority partners, the work we have done with the police, the NHS.

"I have got the award but I see it as an award for everyone who has worked and supported us on this journey. It should be a proud moment for not just me but our community groups and partners."

Cohesion Plus organises culturally diverse festivals across Kent working with the local community.

Tracey Crouch speaks about her CBE

Tracey Crouch MP for Chatham and Aylesford has also received a CBE for her work on the Independent Fan Led Review of Football Governance.

She said: "It has been really hard keeping it a secret for so long but you are sworn to secrecy and I did not tell anybody other than the other half until yesterday.

"It was unexpected. There was this element of disbelief about it because it comes in a very official looking envelope with Her Majesty's Service on it.

"I had to read it a couple of times to fully absorb its contents but it does not really tell you why just that you have been recommended for an honour. It was not until you start to fill in the forms you realise what it is for.

"It was nice to be recognised for the extreme amount of hard work that I put in to try and do something positive for the sport that I love.

"Without the contribution of fans we would not have had the football review and supporters, trusts throughout the football pyramid right down to clubs here in Kent such as Gillingham, Maidstone and Dover amongst many others gave evidence about what it is they thought was wrong in the game and what should be done in order to make it right.

"I think that was really important for us to be able to listen to that. Football is more than a sport, it is a business as well but it is a business that has really important consequences in its local community."

The report was sparked when six of the top English football clubs tried to break away to form a European super league but the commitment was there before that to address the struggling financial situation of many clubs.

The collapse of Bury FC, for example, lead to the complete devastation of a whole community when it went into administration and many feared this could easily happen again.

Chaired by Tracey, the review team spent hundreds of hours gathering evidence from across the country, listening to views from people both in and out of the game to produce a report on the long-term financial suitability of the sport.

"I have told my son that the Queen has put me on her rainbow which is what happens in his class when the children do good work..."

Tracey added: "It is really thrilling. I am deeply honoured anyway and I do not think it really matters when it is bestowed upon you but the fact it is the Platinum Jubilee honours is exciting and it is nice to be recognised. I hope there are many people out there being recognised for the incredible work they are doing in their local communities as well.

"I think my family and friends will be thrilled. They know I put a lot of hard work it was not long into the football review and it was just after my treatment finished so it was quite tiring at times too. I think they will be really pleased for me.

"I have told my son that the Queen has put me on her rainbow which is what happens in his class when the children do good work so hopefully he will give me a rainbow sticker for my hard work.

"I take my constituency work incredibly importantly, it is the best part of the job for me. I try to do good job, I cannot solve everyone's problems but I try to. Hopefully they will be as thrilled as I am."

On Thursday, Tracey will be volunteering at a vaccination centre within her constituency.

Among the other recipients from the county is Georgina Harland who was Chef de Mission for Team GB at the 2022 Winter Olympics. She has been awarded an MBE and said: "Beijing was an extraordinary Games in many ways.

We set out to keep the athletes at the heart of everything we did, and what we achieved was only made possible by the tireless efforts of a brilliant support team."

The former modern pentathlete won bronze for Team GB in the 2004 Athens Olympics and has been recognised for her services to Olympic sport.

She added: "It is an incredible privilege to be recognised today alongside our curling team, as well as other friends and colleagues, and I wish them all a huge congratulations."

And here is the full list of Kent people who have been recognised this year:

Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

• Melissa Case Lately Director, Family and Criminal Justice Policy, Ministry of Justice, and Chair, The Laura Case Trust. For Public and Voluntary Service (Tonbridge)
• Tracey Elizabeth Anne Crouch MP Member of Parliament for Chatham and Aylesford. For Parliamentary and Public Service
• Lawrence John Haynes Lately Chairman, Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. For voluntary service to RAF Personnel and Veterans (Ashford)
• Dr Darren Richard Henley OBE Chief Executive, Arts Council England. For services to the Arts (Canterbury)
• Matthew William Livingston Toombs Director of Campaigns and Engagement, COP26, Cabinet Office. For Public Service (Ashford)

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

• Andrew Mark Harmer Managing Director, Cruise Lines International Association UK and Ireland. For services to the Maritime Sector (Farningham)
• Mohammed Abdul Munim For services to the British Bangladeshi Catering Industry (Dartford)
• Isobel Townsly Explosives Policy Lead, Home Office. For Public Service (Tonbridge)

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

• Guy William Addington Water Safety Lead, South East and Volunteer Helm, Margate Lifeboat Station, Royal National Lifeboat Institution. For services to Maritime Safety (Margate)
• Denise Chevin For services to the Built Environment (Sevenoaks)
• Paul Trevor Grimwood Principal Fire Safety Engineer, Kent Fire and Rescue Service. For services to Fire Safety (Lancing, West Sussex)
• Maxwell Christopher Graham Manley Head of Dental Department, Royal Hospital for Neuro-Disability. For services to Dentistry (Canterbury)
• Gurvinder Singh Sandher Chief Executive Officer, Cohesion Plus. For services to the Arts and to the community in Kent (Longfield)
• Georgina Claire Seccombe (Georgina Harland) Chef de Mission, Team GB, Olympic Games 2022. For services to Olympic Sport (Canterbury)
• Angela Whelan Assistant Director, International Engagement and Protocol, Department for International Trade. For services to Trade and Investment (Longfield)

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

• Edward John Armitage Founder, Chair and Artistic Director, John Armitage Trust. For services to the community in Romney Marsh, Kent (London, Greater London)
• Joanna Gail Brookbank Group Scout Leader, 4th Sevenoaks (St John’s) Scout Group. For services to Young People in Kent, particularly during Covid-19 (Sevenoaks)
• Reginald Butcher For services to Marine Conservation in the City of London (Gravesend)
• Patrick Cantellow Volunteer and Campaigner. For services to Youth Employment in Kent (Faversham)
• Martin Steven Yorke Scout Leader, 10th Medway Sea Scouts. For services to Young People and to the community in Kent, particularly during Covid-19 (Rochester)