PENARTH resident Professor Nicholas Pidgeon has been presented with an MBE in recognition of his services to Climate Change Awareness and Energy Security Policy in the Queen's birthday honours list.

Professor Pidegon, who teaches environmental psychology at the University of Cardiff, said he was “absolutely delighted” to receive the award and “very pleased” that his work had been recognised.

Prof Pidgeon, of Archer Road, added: “Climate change and energy policy are interrelated and two of the most important policy problems that the government are dealing with, as they strive to provide secure energy while protecting the environment.”

Prof Pidgeon, 58, added that the award bestowed upon him was mainly in recognition of his work advising the government departments of energy and climate change, and environment, food and rural affairs.

Since coming to Cardiff in 2006, Professor Pidgeon has chaired the cross-party Parliamentary Inquiry on the scope for political consensus on climate change. The inquiry recommended the establishment of the UK’s Climate Change Committee. Professor Pidgeon also regularly advises both the UK and Welsh Governments.

As director of the Understanding Risk Research Group, together with his colleagues, Professor Pidgeon investigates public attitudes towards and engagement with environmental and technological risk issues; including those of climate change, climate engineering, nanotechnologies, and energy systems.

Ty Hafan also warmly welcomes the news that the charity’s former chairman, Robert Brynmor Lewis, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours

The award recognises Bob’s 17 years of voluntary service in support of the provision of paediatric palliative care in Wales as a long-standing trustee, committee member and, latterly, chairman of the board of Ty Hafan.

Bob’s contribution to the development of Ty Hafan helped ensure the provision of specialist palliative care to life limited children, and support for their families, and his stewardship of the charity during his service as chairman ensured strong and effective leadership that has seen Ty Hafan able to endure tough economic times, to thrive and to extend the scope and quality of the care it provides.

Joining as a trustee in 1993, Bob was one of the earliest members of the Board of Ty Hafan and, whilst working for the National Health Service, Bob was responsible for identifying the opportunity to gift land then in the ownership of the NHS to Ty Hafan for the building of the hospice, care facilities and offices.

Since extended, these facilities, on the coast and facing the Bristol Channel in Sully, Vale of Glamorgan, continue to provide the hub for the charity whilst its provision of services now extends throughout Wales.

The current chairman of Ty Hafan, Mervyn Ham, said: "Bob has worked tirelessly for the charity contributing considerable time and entrepreneurial flair and expertise.

"He equipped Ty Hafan to face the challenges of the future, he presided over the extension of care services and a near doubling of the number of children in care.

"We have a lot to thank him for and on behalf of all those associated with Ty Hafan, our trustees, employees, ambassadors, volunteers, our supporters and the charity’s beneficiaries, I warmly congratulate him on this very well deserved award."