The Suffolk Medal will be awarded today to two people who have made outstanding contributions to the county.
Rebecca Crerar, chief executive of Suffolk Refugee Support, and Dr Jonathan Adnams OBE will today be presented with the Suffolk Medal, becoming two of only a handful of people to be given this prestigious award.
This is the highest honour the county can bestow on one of its own.
Today, Dr Adnams and Ms Crerar will become the 12th and 13th recipients.
Unlike many other honours, nominations for the Suffolk Medal come entirely from the general public in Suffolk, and are decided upon by a panel of the county’s leaders.
Its purpose is to recognise, reward and champion the exceptional contributions of Suffolk people who have made a fundamental, measurable and lasting difference to the lives of people in our county.
The medal was designed by renowned Suffolk artist (and Suffolk Medal recipient herself) Maggi Hambling CBE, and was launched in March 2019.
Previous recipients include former East Anglian Daily Times and Ipswich Star editor Terry Hunt, orthopaedic surgeon Dame Clare Marx and Boshor Ali, a founding member, and subsequent chair of the Bangladeshi Support Centre Multicultural Services.
Investitures take place on the Ipswich Cornhill this morning, June 21, as part of the wider celebrations for Suffolk Day.
Clare, Countess of Euston, is the chair of the Suffolk Medal panel, as well as the Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk.
She said: “On our very own Suffolk Day, I am delighted that we are gathered in the truly historic surroundings of our County Town of Ipswich to present this year’s Suffolk Medals.
“We have two very special and truly exceptional Suffolk people to celebrate this year, unique in the incredible contributions they have made.
“We thank them from the bottom of our hearts for all they have already contributed to our county and hope this special honour will further elevate their ability to do even more.”
Rebecca Crerar
Rebecca is a passionate advocate of refugee rights and has made an outstanding contribution to improving the lives of asylum seekers and refugees in the county for nearly 25 years. As a passionate contributor to the development of refugee services within Suffolk, Rebecca has been chief executive of Suffolk Refugee Support since 2005.
Having moved to Suffolk with her family as a baby, Rebecca enjoyed an idyllic upbringing by the sea in Felixstowe and the surrounding countryside. She was educated at Deben High School and went on to graduate from Nottingham University with a BA (Hons) in Psychology.
Rebecca started working for the Refugee Council in 2000. In 2005, she took a role with Suffolk Refugee Support and soon became the charity’s manager and subsequently its chief executive.
Rebecca could appreciate and understand the issues that were emerging at that time. There were some cultural challenges on both sides as new arrivals familiarised themselves with their new lives. Suffolk was also learning which type of support was needed to help people thrive and become integrated, contributing members of the community.
As a key figure raising the profile and needs of refugees in Suffolk, Rebecca has been consistently successful in raising substantial funding both locally and nationally. This has allowed Suffolk Refugee Support to greatly increase its resources and provide sustainable and deeper support to many more people.
Today, the charity delivers essential support to people arriving in Suffolk from all faiths, backgrounds and walks of life.
Rebecca is keen to showcase the talent and skills that refugees bring to Suffolk and gets an enormous sense of pride when she meets her ex-clients who are now working and contributing to the local economy.
In 2019, Rebecca was given the High Sheriff’s Inspiring Leader award and later in the same year she was made an Honorary Fellow of the University of Suffolk.
Rebecca lives just outside Felixstowe in Trimley St Mary with her partner Richard.
She said: “I feel so honoured to receive this award, and I hope it reflects the fact that I absolutely love this county and will continue to work for as long as I can to make it a cohesive and positive place which celebrates its diversity.”
Dr Jonathan Adnams OBE
Jonathan is a true Suffolk man. Born in the late 1950s, he has influenced the world of brewing, business, and community action from his Southwold home.
From a very early age, he harboured the desire to become a deep-sea trawler skipper. After a minor skirmish and negotiation about ‘O’ levels with his father, who was a profound and supportive influence in his life, Jonathan was able to fulfil his early ambition and enjoy a year at sea fishing. The other side of that bargain was that Jonathan would spend time learning to become a chartered surveyor at Southampton, Estate Management College.
By the early 1970s, Jonathan was delivering RNLI [Royal National Lifeboat Institution] lifeboats around the coast of the UK, and by the age of 17 he was also a member of the Southwold Lifeboat Crew.
Jonathan went on to become Senior Helmsman/Coxswain over what was to become a 40-year association with the RNLI. So began the early signs of a lifelong ethos of putting others’ safety and security before that of his own.
His determined father finally convinced Jonathan that he should join the family business as an apprentice brewery engineer.
In true Adnams fashion, there were no privileges. Any advancement would be based entirely on merit. After a few years of hard work, Jonathan rose through the ranks to become the director responsible for Adnams Pubs. Under Jonathan’s leadership, the foundations were laid for the successful portfolio of community centred pubs that Adnams owns today. He latterly became managing director, and in 2006 became chairman.
It is perhaps through brewing, distilling and sustainability that Jonathan is known beyond Suffolk. During his tenures as managing director and then chairman, the company has innovated in its processes, plant and equipment. It has lowered its environmental impacts, innovating in sustainability and low water use.
These achievements ultimately saw Jonathan recognised nationally with an OBE in 2009.
Jonathan is a trustee and longest standing Chair of Adnams Community Trust which has awarded £1.75 million in funding throughout Suffolk since its inception in the 1990’s.
At heart, Jonathan is a local man. He rides his bike to work daily and he is committed to improving the world for people, the good of the planet and the prosperity of communities, particularly, in his beloved home county of Suffolk.
He said: ‘‘As a Suffolk Boy born and bred, I am proud and delighted to accept this honour of the Suffolk Medal today.’’
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here