A number of inspirational and well-deserving people have been recognised in the 2020 New Year Honours.

Locally, here is who has been listed in the 2020 honours.

Albert Fredrick John Scruby BEM, 78, has been a coach for Lea Rowing Club in east London for over 60 years.

The coach from Watford travelled to the site in Hackney in the early hours before every session to make sure the club facilities are maintained.

He joined the club at 18 for something to do – specifically to keep him fit and providing him with direction.

During his time there, he facilitated a safe space for Hackney kids to keep fit, socialise and gain disciplines that will take them to local, national and international competitions.

Mr Scruby used his own life experiences when coaching to suggest ways to improve not only their rowing techniques, and teaching life skills.

Stephen Daniel De Silva, 65, from St Albans was recognised for services to heritage after volunteering at the St Albans Cathedral for over 40 years.

When the cathedral was awarded a major grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2016, he led a team of volunteers, clergy, paid staff and consultants to design a major new exhibition to tell the little known story of St Alban’s central role in the origins of Christianity and pilgrimage in Britain.

He trained, guided and supported the launch team and the Cathedral’s new welcome centre, exhibition project, timeline and visitor products were all opened and launched in June 2019, to great acclaim.

Previously, Mr De Silva was a trustee at the Cathedral Education Trust and learning committee.

Sarah Hope, MBE, 38 from Harpenden was recognised for services to child amputees and road accident victims in London.

She suffered serious injuries to her leg when a bus mounted a kerb in southwest London in April 2007 that killed her mother and caused her daughter - then aged two - to lose her leg below her right knee.

In 2011 and her sister set up the Elizabeth's Legacy of Hope charity in memory of her mother Elizabeth to help amputee children in areas of poverty and trauma in Africa. As a result of the charity's life-changing work, 250 child amputees have been able to walk again. In addition, Elizabeth's Legacy of Hope has recently started to help amputees in India.

To support others who might be injured through bus accidents, she made a video for TfL to show to its bus drivers, as part of their training, to illustrate the disastrous impact of careless driving of buses.

Her work with TFL has led to TFL setting up the Sarah Hope Line in 2016 which is an incident support line to those involved in these types of accidents.

Dr Azeem Alam, 27, from Harpenden, was recognised for his services to medical education during Covid-19.

The junior doctor in central London has provided free medical education for medical students, physician, associates and aspiring doctors during Covid-19, teaching over 10,000 students worldwide through live online webinars.

He recognised that countless students across the globe have had their teaching cancelled and exams rearranged due to the pandemic, leaving them without guidance or support.

As a result, he gave students ‘hope’ and liaised with a small team of other doctors and medical students for the free teaching.