Jade Horton, from St Neots who has found strength after tragedy
Just before Christmas 2020, Jade’s two young children died in a house fire in which she also sustained lifelong injuries. Afterwards, doctors said she would never walk again.
But she defied the odds, proved them wrong, and was amazingly back on her feet within 12 weeks.
While she is grateful to all the health professionals who supported her, she also feels her openness to holistic therapies and healing was an important part of her journey.
She is now a qualified Angelic Reiki practitioner and practices through her business Merkaba Holistics.
In her spare time, she also does charity work for 3 Pillars: Feeding the Homeless.
Patricia Bowkis, aged 90, resident at Ferrars Hall, Huntingdon
Pat was born in London in 1933. Her dream as a teenager had been to be a dress designer but at the time her parents could not afford to put her through college.
After leaving school she worked as a dressmaker. The family moved to Huntingdon in the 1970s and Pat did dressmaking for private clients and also ran a shop called Bows.
In later life, she started painting pictures of local landmarks to sell at craft shows.
At the age of 66, she decided to return to education, studying and gaining an A-level in art at Huntingdon Regional College.
Lisa Radcliffe, from Soham, is fundraising in memory of her son
Lisa began teaching in Soham in 2005. Her ambition was to put children at the heart of the curriculum, listen and build trusting relationships with them. This ambition led her to headship in September 2013.
In May 2022, her son George was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma. Lisa had to walk away from her career to give her son all he needed. George died in October 2023, after a 17-month battle.
Lisa told us only two per cent of research focuses on childhood cancer so she set up a fund, in George’s name. Lisa has been driven by the ‘Just George’ fundraising and in five months has raised more than £70,000.
Sharon Livermore, from Ely, campaigns against domestic abuse
Business woman Sharon Livermore was stalked and abused by her husband during their 18-month marriage and has shared her story to raise awareness about domestic abuse.
Now 41, Sharon said she feels “so grateful to be alive” and wants to use her experience to help others.
She founded Domestic Abuse Education to train employers on how to support staff and encourage then to create ‘safe spaces’ for employees.
Sharon wants to see an end to the perception and associated stigma that comes from the belief that what happens in a marital home isn’t our business. She was awarded an MBE earlier this year.
Yvonne Long, Soham correspondent for the Ely Standard
Yvonne Long has been the Soham correspondent for the Ely Standard for several decades. She sends her reports into the newsroom every week (50 weeks of the year) and they always contain a cherry message.
The reports span many groups in the Soham area and her dedication to ensure they receive coverage is vital. She ensures people know they exist and also where to find them.
Yvonne's hard work shows huge community spirit and we thank her.
Julie Spence, Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire
Julie Spence is a retired police officer who served in the force for 32 years. She served as the chief constable for Cambridgeshire Constabulary from December 2005 until September 2010.
She is the former president of the British Association for Women in Policing and was the ACPO lead on citizen focus issues.
In 2006 she won the Champion Award for her commitment and achievement as a gender champion. She is currently serving as the Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire which she will hold until 2030. She was awarded an OBE in the Queen's 80th Birthday Honours list.
The Right Rev Debbie Sellin is the first female Bishop of Peterborough
The Right Reverend Debbie Sellin has been appointed the first female Bishop of Peterborough. The Diocese of Peterborough covers the city, as well as Northamptonshire and Rutland.
Bishop Sellin was installed at a ceremony at Peterborough Cathedral on March 3.
She was brought up in a rectory but initially worked as a manager in the National Health Service and began training for the priesthood in 2004, becoming a vicar in 2010 and an area dean in 2015.
She became assistant bishop of Southampton in 2019 and took temporary charge of the Diocese of Winchester in 2022.
Lyn Gibb de Swarte - award-winning journalist and community stalwart
Mother of six, speed skater and ice hockey player, skating coach and referee. Lyn's journalistic career began in 1985 when she became publishing editor of Sportswoman magazine.
She was an executive founder member of the Women’s Sports Foundation. Together with her life partner Cathy, they also produced a Lesbians in Sport newsletter for a year.
Thorson’s commissioned Lyn to write a book, Women and Sport, in 1988 and she won Magazine Sportswriter of the Year. In 1998, the couple moved to Littleport – and from 2011 she edited, and the pair still compile and distribute, Littleport Life community magazine, voluntarily.
Shi is also a spiritualist minister. She now spends much of her time writing about all the good things that happen in Littleport every week for the Ely Standard.
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