The New Year’s Honours list revealed earlier this week saw a number of Buckinghamshire residents recognised for their outstanding work in supporting key services and communities.

Charity stalwarts, Covid-19 heroes, healthcare champions, a councillor and volunteers were just some of the recipients of these prestigious awards.

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Among the more unusual efforts being honoured were those of Veronica Main, from Hazlemere, who will receive an MBE for services to Straw Hat Plaiting and Endangered Crafts Skills.

Ms Main was nominated by the Heritage Crafts Association (HCA) in this year’s New Year Honours, following 19 previously successful nominations since 2013, in recognition of a lifetime spent researching, practicing and teaching the craft of straw plaiting for the hat industry.

Once an important trade in the UK, straw hat plaiting is now critically endangered on the Red List, with only a few remaining craftspeople, the charitable organisation has said.

Ms Main has made it her life’s mission to ensure that these skills are not lost, and appeared on BBC Radio lamenting the closure of Luton hat firm Olney Headwear.

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Over the years, Ms Main has taught many hundreds of people the skills of straw plaiting in the UK, US, Europe and Bangladesh, where she taught straw work to the women of Sreepur village, to increase their repertoire of craft skills.

She has also been a consultant on straw work to museums across the world, including the V&A and the Museum of London.

Ms Main is a Queen Elizabeth Scholar, Wingate Scholar, City & Guilds Gold Medallist, and member of the Guild of Straw Craftsmen and the National Association of Wheat Weavers (USA).

She is a founding member of the British Hat Guild, a group of 33 professional milliners at the top of their game, each selected for their highly individual contribution to millinery.

HCA operations manager Daniel Carpenter said: “Often it is only in retrospect that we realise that particular craft skills have survived purely thanks to a few dedicated individuals, working tirelessly to safeguard the future of our intangible heritage so that future generations can use them as a basis for innovation, industry, connection and wellbeing.

“Veronica is a shining example of this, and we are delighted that we have been able to recognise her skill and commitment through this successful MBE nomination, putting her up there among other great luminaries of public life.”