A 90-year-old who served in the Second World War is one of a dozen people from west Kent to have been named in the Queen’s New Year Honours List.

George Batts, of Chervilles in Barming, will be made an MBE for his service to veterans, which includes work organising commemorations and compiling an archive of eye-witness accounts from the battlefields.

Mr Batts took part in the Normandy Landings in June 1944 and after joining the Normandy Veterans’ Association in 1988, was appointed national secretary and treasurer in 2009.

In the past 10 years he has taken a leading role in organising official commemorations in France, liaising extensively with authorities on both sides of the Channel.

He worked tirelessly in preparation for the 70th anniversary event in 2014, making sure the needs of heads of state, ministers, veterans and their families were met.

He also came up with Normandy Voices, a National Lottery-funded campaign to capture the memories of more than 170 surviving veterans to provide a comprehensive national archive of the landings, held in the D-Day Museum in Portsmouth, for future generations.

The grandfather-of-two said: “I was surprised, honoured and delighted to be told I would receive an MBE.

“In Normandy there are 17 cemeteries with 21,000 bodies in them. They were mates and colleagues we left behind and who were the real heroes. It is essential these memories are preserved forever more and they will always be remembered.”

Awarded the British Empire Medal were parish councillor Joan Buller for services to the community in Staplehurst, chair of Bredhurst Parish Council Vanessa Jones and Maidstone charity worker Craig Vidler.

The 69-year-old has raised more than £500,000 for the Retail Trust with fly fishing fundraisers.

“I’m greatly honoured by this award,” he said.

“Retail is a great industry. I’m delighted to have been able to give something back and help some of its people who have fallen on hard times.”

Those made OBEs included Director of Primary Education at ARK Schools, Venessa Willms from Maidstone and - all from Sevenoaks - Head of Child Protection at Save the Children, William Bell; Susannah Schofield for service to small businesses; and leader of Sevenoaks District Council, Cllr Peter Fleming.

Also made MBEs were Dolores Bray-Ash from Sevenoaks, who is chairman of the Early Years Network in Tower Hamlets; former principal of Moor House School and College, Hilary Dobbie from Tunbridge Wells; and Chief Financial Officer at City of London Academies, Christopher Hutton from Hawkhurst.

Made a CBE was National Youth Ballet founder Jill Tookey, from Westerham for services to dance and young people.