Chris Bryant, Sophie Ingle and Dr Mike Thomas recognised in New Year Honours list
An MP, a football star and a choir director are among those from Wales to be recognised in the New Year Honours list.
Dr Mike Thomas, 63, who has been involved with one of the choirs for more than 35 years, said he is "humbled" to have been made an MBE for services to the Welsh male voice choirs of the Pelenna Valley and the Cynon Valley.
He has been the organist at his parish church for the past 20 years, and spends five evenings a week practising with 160 choristers across three choirs.
The choirs - Pelenna, Cwmdare and Cwmbach - regularly perform across the UK and internationally.
In June, Cwmbach Male Choir performed in front of an audience of 60,000 during Stereophonics gigs at Cardiff's Principality Stadium.
That opportunity arose after Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones bumped into Dr Thomas - who taught at his school, the former Blaengwawr Comprehensive in Aberaman - in a supermarket.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, father-of-two Dr Thomas organised virtual choir practices.
He is one of more than 30 people across Wales to be recognised in the New Year Honours list, with others including Wales football captain Sophie Ingle, who has been made an OBE.
Rhondda MP Chris Bryant is also to receive a knighthood for "political and public service."
The chair of the Commons Standards Committee said he was "very shocked" when he learned he was to be knighted, describing it as an honour for the whole committeee.
"I was surprised. I have no idea how this comes about.
"Everyone told me that the Standards Committee would be a quiet backwater. It hasn't felt like that. I try, as does the whole committee, to set party allegiancece to one side."
Four civil servants have also been recognised for their work to protect public health and public services in Wales.
Andrea Street, Jo-Anne Daniels and Felicity Bennee have been made OBEs, while Stephen Barry has been made an MBE.
Dr Andrew Goodall, the Welsh Government's permanent secretary, offered his "warmest congratulations" to them.
"The awards are testament to the hard work and commitment from them and their colleagues this year," Dr Goodall said.
Major Derek John Munro, 61, from Powys, has been made an MBE for services to the Army Cadet Forces in South Wales.
Alexander Christian Per Loven, 35, the founder of Net World Sports, has been made an MBE for services to the economy and to the community in Wrexham.
He launched Net World Sports from his parents' home at the age of 22 and has built it into an international sports equipment provider with a turnover of £70 million.
In 2021, the company announced a £25 million investment in building its new headquarters and warehouse in Wrexham.
Professor Helen Sweetland, 62, of Cardiff, has been made an MBE for services to patient care and medical education.
She is emeritus clinical professor at Cardiff University's School of Medicine and has spent more than 25 years working in Wales.
Helen Humphrey, 57, from Gwent, has been made an MBE for services to women in sport leadership.