Janet Jones, Administrative Officer in the Department of Biological Sciences, was awarded an MBE in this year's New Year's Honours List, for services to Higher Education and to the Community in Coventry.

Janet started at the University in 1972 as Technician in charge of the Undergraduate Teaching Laboratories in Biological Sciences. Since then she has held a series of posts with more wide-ranging responsibilities, and undertaken extensive further training in both technical and personnel issues. In her current role as Administrative Officer, she has personnel responsibilities for all manual, clerical, technical and research staff in the Department (nearly 200 people) and supervisory responsibilities for a number of departmental technical services.

In addition to carrying out this demanding role for the University, she has an outstanding record of service to the community. Her service as a magistrate has been continuous since 1979. She has been a member of the Family Panel of Magistrates in Coventry since 1988 and also a member of the Youth Panel. She was elected Chair of the Family Panel and served in this capacity for 6 years. During that time she oversaw the implementation into the Coventry court system of the Children's Act 1988. She was also a member of the Coventry Magistrates Court's Management Committee until its amalgamation with the West Midlands Court in 2000. She was Chair of the Coventry Bench of Magistrates (Little Park Street, Coventry) for 2003 and has been re-elected for 2004, having served as Deputy Chair during the period 2000-02. Her major focus has been on building communication and morale within the service following the Auld Report and in the run up to the impending unification of the courts system.

She has also worked as a volunteer Relate counsellor since 1984 and was Chair of Coventry Relate for 10 years from 1988. During this time she led the fund-raising effort that enabled Coventry Relate to purchase its own premises and has now established it as an effective service with a professional manager.

Professor Roger Burridge, from the School of Law, was also awarded an MBE for services to the Health and Safety Executive.