'It's for Whitby' - Rebecca's delight at BEM in King's Birthday Honours

Rebecca Denniff, director of Flash Arts Company CIC, was given the honour in recognition of her services to music education.

She was among dozens of people from all across Yorkshire who were recognised in the honours, showcasing the depth of impact made by “ordinary people doing extraordinary things”.

Rebecca has spent around 20 years in music education in the Whitby area, working with schoolchildren and running Whitby Community Choir.

Rebecca, 53, said: “I saw the letter as everyone does and thought ‘that looks really serious’.

"Normally I would be reluctant to accept it, but it’s for Whitby and the impact that the work has had on the town.”

She said she received the news while away in Bradford with Whitby Community Choir.

"When it was announced, they were all so excited,” she said.

"They were excited to be going singing in St George’s Hall which they never dreamed they would do, they were really overwhelmed by it.

"I was talking about it to lots of young people I work with all the time who think it’s amazing.

"We started as a musical arts group but now we’re running the community fridge and working with North Yorkshire Council so from that little musical seed, all that other stuff grows and we do make an impact, so I felt a little bit better about accepting it.”

Rebecca will go to an investiture with the Lord Lieutenant – only recently, she was at Windsor Castle meeting King Charles at a community event and she said she had no idea the BEM honour was coming her way.

She is also due to attend a Deanery garden party in York later this month to celebrate community heroes.

"It’s just so nice working with hundreds of people every week and I feel this is for the town,” she added.

Across the region, recipients of the King’s Birthday Honours include lifelong community volunteers, charity founders, scout leaders, and public servants working in everything from early years education to digital inclusion.