JOCKEY Rutherford was celebrating with friends at St Joseph's Hospital in Rosewe]l, Scotland, this week, after being awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen's Birthday Honours. Mr Rutherford, 62, has Downs Syndrome and the hospital has been his home since 1936. The award recognises his service to the hospital gardening, painting and decorating, and delivering the hospital's mail twice a day on his moped.
Other Catholics honoured in the list include MP Thomas Arnold, who receives a knighthood along with Anthony Banford, chairman of Banford Excavators, Antony Pilkington, chairman of the international glass company, Christopher Tugendhat, former EC commissioner and now chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, and Jimmy Savile, the TV and radio personality who has worked ceaselessly for the spinal injuries centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital and with prisoners at Broadmoor.
OBEs go to Peter Fox, head teacher at St Thomas More School in Haringey, Michael Gregory, a former chairman of Catholic Social Services for Prisoners, Thomas Harrison, lately leader of the Stonyhurst pilgrimage to Lourdes, the singer Anne Shelton and Lt Col Peter Smart REME.
The r.L is awarded to Major General Patrick Fagan, director of military survey, while CBEs go to Colonel George Cauchi (late RAPC), Thomas Farmer, chairman of Kwik-Fit, Air Commodore Alan Hicks and Peter Rigby.
The retiring general secretary of the general synod of the Church of England, Derek Pattinson, is rewarded for his 18 years in the job with a knighthood.