Guide leader and charity chairman recognised in New Year’s Honours

A GUIDE leader from Wargrave has been made an MBE in the New Year’s Honours list.

Tamsin Phipps received the award for voluntary services to the waterways and to young people through Girlguiding UK.

She has lived in the village for 18 years and co-leads the Guides and Rangers alongside her daughter, Amber Owen.

Ms Phipps, 61, is originally from Devon, but she grew up in Crowthorne. In addition to joining in the army when she was only 23, she has had a number of important jobs in her lifetime.

She was the Government and public affairs manager for the British Canoe Union for 10 years, during which time she was responsible for looking after VIP guests during the London Olympics in 2012.

For nearly eight years, she has been the chair of the Kennet & Avon Waterways Partnership and she became a services manager for Age UK Berkshire shortly before the first coronavirus lockdown in March.

Ms Phipps, of Victoria Road, said: “I am really honoured. To get recognised for what you do is fantastic, but I don’t do the voluntary work to get recognised. I do it because it makes a difference to the community and I absolutely love being a part of the community. 

“I think it is just natural within me – I have always volunteered for things, right back to when I was a Guide myself and I could see the difference that volunteering makes. A bit of care and enthusiasm makes a huge difference to people’s lives and it is something that has kept me going.”

Meanwhile, the chairman of a charity that provides housing and care homes for elderly people has been awarded an OBE.

Ian Plaistowe, of High Street, Watlington, has been honoured for services to the care of the elderly and education.

Abbeyfield, based in St Albans, Hertfordshire, was founded 65 years ago and aims to enhance the quality of life for older people.

Mr Plaistowe became its chair of trustees in July 2015 and has been a member of its audit committee since 2006.

The 78-year-old said he was “honoured” to have been recognised.

He said: “One never does these things with the intention of getting an honour at the end of it, so it's a surprise when someone comes along and says ‘we’re minded to give you an honour this year, would you accept?’

“I think care of the elderly has been a much neglected area in civil life for many years and I think the Covid outbreak has just shown how neglected it’s been.

“It’s a sector of society that does not get its proper share of financial resources.

“We have something like 8,000 residents in six or seven countries. We like to think we have particular ways of providing care which focuses not just on providing a room and food. We focus much more on what we call the ‘whole person’, in keeping individuals entertained, occupied, carrying out hobbies and eating together.”

The retired chartered accountant also spent 13 years as chair of governors at The Beacon School, an independent school near Amersham, before retiring in 2012.

He said: “There’s nothing more important in the world than giving people an education to start with. If they have that they have got a strong basis on which to build their futures. Education is a critical stage in every young person’s life.”

Mr Plaistowe spent almost 40 years with accounting firm Arthur Andersen where he was managing practice director for Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India.

After retiring in his late fifties he began working in the voluntary sector.

He is a former acting chairman and vice-chairman of the University of Buckingham and a former chairman of The Family Planning Association.

He is also a former president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, vice-chairman of the Takeover Panel and the Financial Reporting Council.

For the full story, see next week’s Henley Standard.