Community campaigners are among those honoured in Northamptonshire
A gay rights campaign and a woman who's devoted her life to helping people with Aspergers are among the people honoured in Northamptonshire.
Matthew Torensen, who's 53, is made an MBE for working tirelessly to make life better for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people.
Matthew, who's a Community Development Officer, helped to set up a lesbian and gay literary festival in Northampton in 2012 and runs an LGBT Forum in the town.
He and his partner Scott Maloney hit the headlines in 2010 when they launched a legal fight to be allowed to marry before gay weddings were made legal.
Elaine Nicholson, 54, fron Oundle, is also made an MBE for her work in setting up the charity Action for Asperger's.
In 2008, Elaine set up the charity to provide a unique counselling and emotional support service.
She was already a qualified counsellor which helped her to start providing counselling to people free of charge.
While being a mum and working tirelessly to get AFA up and running, she gained a post-graduate certificate in Asperger’s Syndrome, followed two years later by a Masters degree in Autism. In 2012, AFA moved from her home to its first set of offices.
She not only provided a counselling service but also set up a diagnosis service as many adults with Asperger’s are not diagnosed in childhood. She gives up her evenings and weekends to set up and run social clubs and events.
Theresa Wright gets the British Empire Medal for her fundraising work for Northampton Hospital's Special Care Baby Unit.
Theresa, who's 33, from Bozeat, has campaigned for four years to raise over £12,000 for the Northampton general delivery suite and the neonatal intensive care unit Gosset Ward.
The full list of honours in Northamptonshire is below.
MBE
Caryl Billingham - For services to the community in Brackley, Northamptonshire. (Brackley, Northamptonshire)
Rachel Mallows - Director, The Mallows Company Ltd and Made In Northamptonshire. For services to Business and Entrepreneurship. (Wellingborough, Northamptonshire)
Jonathan Millidge - Human Resources Director, Royal Mail. For services to Business and Public Service. (Towcester, Northamptonshire)
Elaine Nicholson - Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Action for Asperger's, Northamptonshire. For services to Education and Asperger's Awareness. (Northamptonshire)
Anthony Pile - Entrepreneur. For services to International Business. (Northamptonshire)
Michael Rodden - Officer, Arson Taskforce, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service. For services to Community Safety and the community in Northamptonshire. (Northamptonshire)
Matthew Torensen - Community Development Officer, Voluntary Impact, Northants. For services to LGBT Equality. (Abington, Northamptonshire)
BEM
David Harries - For services to the community in Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire. (Northamptonshire)
Theresa Wright - For charitable services to Gosset Ward, Special Care Baby Unit, Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust. (Bozeat, Northamptonshire)