Queen hands MBEs to local business people (From This is Hampshire)

Queen hands MBEs to local business people

8:47am Monday 19th February 2007

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A PAIR of outstanding local business people have received the MBE from The Queen.

Albert Hampson and Liz Jackson received their honours in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Mr Hampson, of Nash Meadows, South Warnborough, was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to the hospitality industry.

The 58-year-old was a manager for hotel services at the AA, in Fanum House, Basing View, for 19 years. For the last two years, he was devising a rating system for hotels that can be used by tourist boards across Britain.

He explained: "You get quite a proliferation of different signs outside hotels with a different number of stars, a different number of crowns and all that's very confusing for the consumer.

"Now hotels will get the same rating irrespective of whether it is the AA, Visit England or Visit Scotland."

Mr Hampson said that the MBE was an honour for the professionalism of everyone who worked on the project.

Mr Hampson, who is married to Penny and is father to 11-year-old James, has been inundated with cards and phone calls from well-wishers since he found out the good news.

He finished working for the AA last year and is due to start as the manager of the Chute House learning centre of University College Winchester, in Basingstoke, next week.

Blind entrepreneur Liz Jackson received an MBE for services to business. She received the award for not only her outstanding achievements in the business world, but also for setting an incredible example to others.

The 33-year-old mother-to-be overcame considerable barriers when she started her business in 1998 with a grant and a loan from The Prince's Trust. A year into her business venture, she completely lost her sight because of the condition retinitis pigmentosa.

But in spite of this, her determination has ensured that the company in Basing View has thrived and grown into a £2.5million turnover success story.

Mrs Jackson was nominated by one of Great Guns' clients and she only found out when she received a letter from Number 10 Downing Street in November 2006.

Commenting on her big day at Buckingham Palace, accompanied by her proud parents Mick and Pam Spain and husband Alister, Mrs Jackson said: "It was a lovely day and it was very inspirational listening to the other people's stories and why they had been awarded different things.

"I was thrilled to meet the Queen. She was very gracious and had been very well briefed."

Mrs Jackson said she is still shocked to have received an honour "just for doing something that I love".

She said: "I always dream big and one of those dreams has come true with the success of Great Guns - however, I never imagined that I would receive an MBE for it."

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