Disability football coach among King's honourees

A man who has been involved in disability football for more than a quarter of a century has been recognised in the King's Birthday Honours.

Jason Land, who works as the disability and inclusion lead at the Grimsby Town Foundation, receives a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to football.

Land, who is partially sighted, has been involved with the sport for more than 26 years as a player and combines coaching Town's disability team with working with local schools and community groups for the foundation.

In 2024, he was presented with The Hope Award by the Football Association for "the substantial role he has played in the development of disability football".

Other honorees from Lincolnshire include Robert Walsh, former chief executive of North East Lincolnshire Council, who becomes an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to local government.

Fiona Booth, headteacher of St Nicholas Church of England Primary Academy in Boston, has been awarded an OBE for services to education.

Another BEM recipient is Lyndsay Howden, from Grimsby, for her work as an emergency response volunteer for the British Red Cross, helping victims of house fires and other emergencies.

As well as her volunteering role, she works for Humberside Fire and Rescue Service.

Howden said she did not believe it when she received a phone call to tell her about the award.

"I did really think it was spam at first, because I wasn't expecting a person like me to receive such an honour," she said.

"When I finally realised that it was real and that it wasn't a spam call or I wasn't receiving a phishing email, I had to sit back and just take note and reflect and my initial thought was, wow!

"Then it got to the point where I thought, I'm emotional. I had a little cry, tears of joy."

Listen to highlights fromLincolnshire on BBC Sounds, and watch thelatest episode of Look North.

Download the BBC News app from the App Storefor iPhone and iPad orGoogle Play for Android devices