A STONE army officer was among those honoured by the Queen to celebrate the new year.
Brigadier Simon Bell from Aston-by-Stone was awarded the Queen’s Volunteer Reserves Medal.
He joined the Territorial Army in 1984 and was promoted to Brigadier General in 2009. He was posted to Edinburgh as the Assistant Divisional Commander for 2nd Division, responsible for over 12,000 Reserves personnel, and over the years has served in Cyprus, Canada, USA, Oman, Germany, France and Northern Ireland.
Briagadier Bell is also managing director of lettings agency Belvoir Telford, which he launched in 2011 with wife Sally,
He said: “The award of the QVRM is a wonderful surprise and I can only say how important this award is to my family who have had to share my spare time with the Army.”"As a serving reserve army officer I am also very proud to have been appointed by Her Majesty The Queen as Honorary Colonel of the 4th (Volunteer) Battalion The Mercian Regiment, my old regiment, and this will see me continue my service for a further five years.
“My Army service has been an important part of my business career during the last 28 years and I have become a better leader as a result of my military service.
“The skills the Army teaches all of its soldiers and especially its officers, can easily be transferred into civilian leadership situations. I would recommend it to any young man or woman.”
