Dr Joanne Thwaite, of Dstl, has been given an MBE A WILTSHIRE scientist who works for the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down near Salisbury has been awarded an MBE in the Queen s New Year honours. Dr Joanne Thwaite, from Warminster, has been awarded the Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, which recognises her service to the NHS during Covid-19 pandemic. Dstl said Dr Thwaite had shown selfless dedication carrying out repeated and sustained deployments to hospital laboratories where she supported NHS staff dealing with an unprecedented increase of workload. Using her scientific skillset, Joanne worked within diagnostic laboratories, from the very onset of the pandemic.
The Queen issued a positive New Year message on social media this afternoon, reassuring Britain that better days will return and we will meet again .
She reprised the words from her televised message on April 5 soon after the start of the pandemic in a tweet which also wished people a happy and healthy New Year .
Today s message quoted the 94-year-old monarch saying: We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.
The final four words - we will meet again - were a tribute Forces sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn s Second World War anthem, who died earlier this year on June 18.
Dr Joanne Thwaite, of Dstl, has been given an MBE A WILTSHIRE scientist who works for the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down near Salisbury has been awarded an MBE in the Queen s New Year honours. Dr Joanne Thwaite, from Warminster, has been awarded the Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, which recognises her service to the NHS during Covid-19 pandemic. Dstl said Dr Thwaite had shown selfless dedication carrying out repeated and sustained deployments to hospital laboratories where she supported NHS staff dealing with an unprecedented increase of workload. Using her scientific skillset, Joanne worked within diagnostic laboratories, from the very onset of the pandemic.
• Source: Associated Press
As it was for billions across the globe, 2020 was a year of upheaval and uncertainty for Britain s royal family. The Queen at Westminster Abbey, wearing a face mask for the first time in public. Source: Associated Press
The year kicked off in dramatic fashion with the declaration by Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, that they intended to step down as senior royals and forge a new life for themselves unconstrained by royal duties.
The announcement took the palace by surprise but Queen Elizabeth II moved quickly to take back control, summoning her son and heir Prince Charles and grandsons Prince William and Harry to a crisis meeting to sort things out.