A Rossendale man has been awarded a medal in the King’s New Year’s Honours list.
Barry Hyde has been named as one of the Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) for services to the community in Bacup. He has been recognised for his exceptional contribution to the community, from founding Rossendale 60s Festival to working with several organisations including Rossendale Radio and Relay For Life Rossendale to enhance life in the Valley.
Barry has played a significant role in boosting the local economy and putting the borough on the map by promoting what Rossendale has to offer with its attractions, heritage and events.
He said: “I am so proud and privileged to be honoured by His Majesty King Charles lll with the British Empire Medal for services to the community in Rossendale in the New Year’s Honours list.
“With the blessing and support of my wife Ann, I have dedicated much of my time since retirement to the Rossendale community but think it is important to emphasise and acknowledge that any success that I might have had over the years could not have been achieved without exceptional teams and individuals supporting those efforts.
“In particular, the Rossendale 60s Festival Group, The Bacup Now Community Group, The Veterans In Communities Charity and Rossendale Radio.
“I would also like to thank Pete Sweetmore for his constant support over many years.”
The British honours system recognises people who have made significant achievements in their public life and “committed themselves to serving and helping Britain”. Each year, the government publishes a list of the people recognised to celebrate their contributions to society.
Barry started his journey in 2007, as secretary to an event group, Relay For Life Rossendale, who have held their fundraising event each year and regularly raise more than £32K for Cancer Research UK. The One time Free Press columnist stayed with the group until 2013.
He was invited to take up the position of secretary to Rossendale Revival, an events organising group in 2011, which was responsible for events such as Clogs Ont Cobbles and the Rawtenstall Annual Fair and remained with them until 2014.
By invitation, Barry joined the Bacup Traders Association in 2012 as secretary, with a view to helping stimulate Bacup through engagement with the traders and other groups and remained with the group until 2014. The group continues under the renamed Bacup Business Association.
In 2013, he founded the Rossendale 60s Festival and was chair of the Festival Organising group until 2022 and is currently treasurer of the group. In 2014, Barry was invited to become chair of the Rossendale Tourism and Heritage group (RTHG), which was responsible for promoting Rossendale, its attractions, activities, heritage and events.
This group was superseded later that year by The Promoting Rossendale Partnership Board (PRPB), which he was a member of. The Partnership aimed to change perceptions of Rossendale as a place to visit, live, work or do business and strengthen the visitor economy of Rossendale.
After the formation of the PRPB, Barry was invited to chair the Tourism Communications Group in 2014, which was a subgroup that falls under the PRPB, and was responsible for actively communicating information relating to activities, attractions and events through a range of media including the Visit Rossendale website and the social media network.
He became a member of the Bacup THI Partnership Board and took over the chair of Bacup THI Engagement and Communications group in 2014, which developed and advised the main THI Partnership board on issues relating to Bacup community initiatives and engagement. Barry has also developed and maintained several blog sites and Facebook pages, all having specific roles in promoting the many aspects of Rossendale’s tourism offer.
He wrote a regular column in the Free Press under the title of ‘Rossendale Revealed’ until 2022, promoting the many community groups and organisations to the community. He is also a member of the Bacup Neighbourhood Forum and a former member of the Rawtenstall Town Team.
Barry joined the Board of the Veterans In Communities Charity as a trustee/director in 2015 and is a member of the choir with the responsibility for promotions and bookings for the choir. In addition, Barry chairs the fundraising and marketing committee.
In 2017, he founded the Rossendale Community Support Group which is an online network of more than 300 community and statutory organisations that effectively communicate through the network. He co-founded the Bacup Now Community Group in 2018, which provides opportunity to organise events in Bacup to provide community engagement and inject energy and vibrancy to the town centre.
He is still actively involved with this group as Chair. Barry joined the board of Rossendale Radio Ltd in 2022, and continues to offer his experiences to the board with a view to raising its profile as a true community radio station.
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