Surrey Pride Society Martin Rooney was awarded the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Award on Thursday (Jan. 19) for his contributions to the Rainbow community in Surrey.
Surrey MP Randeep Saria presented the award to Rooney, who is is the third member of the Surrey Pride board to receive the award. Vice-president Jen Marchbank and director of diversity, Annie Ohana, have previously received the award.
Rooney, in an email to the Now-Leader, stated he was especially honoured because of the award’s connection to Queen Elizabeth II.
“She had been Queen all of my life, until her passing I had known no other monarch on the Commonwealth throne,” he said Friday (Jan. 20). “Last night was both nervous and exciting. I was honoured to be among such and wonderful array of recipients.”
Rooney was among about a dozen people who on Friday received a Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal, which is a commemorative medal created to mark the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s accession in 1952.
Award recipients have made contributions in a number of fields, including community service, business, arts and culture, sports, education, and volunteerism.
SEE MORE: Surrey non-profit CEO awarded the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Award
-With files from Colleen Flanagan
anna.burns@surreynowleader.com
Like us on Facebook Like us on Instagram and Follow Anna on Twitter.