The New Year Honours list has been published tonight and a number of residents in the Harrogate district have been recognised for their services to charity and the community.

OBE

Linda Grace Shears, from Harrogate, has been made an OBE for services to charity in her role as co-founder of the Shears Foundation.

The foundation is a charitable trust that providers grants for projects that develop arts and culture, educational opportunities and the protection of the natural environment, as well as other areas.

Since it was set up in 1996, the trust has awarded £12 million in grants.

Janet Sheriff, from Harrogate, has been made an OBE for services to education in West Yorkshire. Ms Sheriff is headteacher of Prince Henry's Grammar School in Otley.

Ms Sheriff was appointed headteacher in 2009. She became the first female head in the school's 400-year history and Leeds' first BME secondary school headteacher.

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BEM 

John Richmond, from Ripon, has been awarded a British Empire Medal for services to the community in Ripon.

Mr Richmond is well known in the city after becoming the youngest person to be appointed mayor in 1975 at just 39 years old. He has also taken part in the city's traditional hornblower ceremony.

Mary Chapman, from Great Ouseburn, has also been awarded a British Empire Medal for services to children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Ms Chapman founded the charity Nuzzlets, which gives children with special educational needs and life-threatening illnesses the chance to meet animals.

Nuzzlets now hosts about 200 visits each year and supports 4,000 young people. Ms Chapman and her volunteers carry out visits to hospitals, nursing homes and local community groups as well as hosting visits on the farm.