Huntingdonshire dignitary John Bridge has been appointed as one of four deputy lieutenants for Cambridgeshire.

He will support lord lieutenant Hugh Duberly with his work as the Queen’s personal representative in the county. Responsibilities include arranging visits by members of the royal family and escorting royal visitors. They present medals and awards on behalf of the Queen, and participate in civic, voluntary and social duties, as well as liaising with units of the army, navy, RAF and Royal Marines and their associated cadet forces.

Mr Bridge has been the chief executive of Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce since 2004, is chairman of economic development company Opportunity Peterborough and a non-executive director of Luminus Group and Luminus Homes.

He has been an active preacher in the St Neots and Huntingdon circuit of the Methodist Church for the last 26 years. In 2002 he was awarded an honorary membership of the Road Haulage Association and in 2003 he was elected Freeman of the City of London. He was awarded the OBE in 1997.

Mr Bridge said: “I certainly feel very privileged - I am very committed to serving others and doing public service and I didn’t ever expect anything as a result of it.

“There are a lot of other people involved that enabled it to happen, and I am very grateful to everybody that worked with me and all of the organisations that I am involved with.”

He will be joined by Benjamyn Damazer, Jeremy Newsum and Colonel Timothy Seal.