A DECORATED military photographer from Wrecclesham and the long-serving chairman of governors at Weydon School have been recognised in the New Year’s Honours list.

Graeme Main, 48, was appointed an MBE on January 1 for services to military photography having documented every major deployment of the British Army since 2000.

Meanwhile, Peter Brinsden, chairman of Weydon Multi Academy Trust and manchair of governors for Weydon School for more than 15 years, was recognised with the British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to the Farnham community.

Born in Edinburgh, Mr Main launched his career as a civil servant photographer based at RAF Bracknell in 1992, and has worked for the Army’s Soldier Magazine since 1999.

As a civilian he was never obliged to travel, yet has routinely embedded on missions to the likes of Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Northern Ireland despite significant personal risk. His mantra is simply that soldiers come first and their stories deserve to be told.

Mr Main has also covered summer and winter Olympics, Commonwealth Games and regularly takes photos of the royal family, prime ministers and heads of states, as well as celebrities of the screen and sporting world including David Beckham and Sir Richard Attenborough.

A Farnham resident for the past 14 years, his work has often appeared in the national press and has earned him numerous awards, illustrating the courage of personnel in dangerous environments around the world and shining a light on veteran welfare by recording the work of military charities.

Mr Main’s public service ethos continues beyond the Army too, using his photographic skills in numerous community projects and charity work for the Farnham Lions, Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice, Waverley Borough Council community projects and Farnham’s Otter Wey Trail initiative.

His fellow recipient, Weydon School lynch-pin Peter Brinsden, has been described as a man of relentless energy and passion for the community.

Not only has he been a fundamental part of Weydon’s success, but he has also served as a governor at Highfield Primary School, a steward of the highly successful Rowledge Cricket Club and volunteer for the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Alongside all of his volunteering commitments, Peter is a much-loved grandfather, father and husband and a close friend to many people.

John Winter, chief executive of the Weydon Multi-Academy Trust, said: “I congratulate Peter on this achievement, he is a dedicated man of the community who has given many hours of his time freely to enhance the quality of life for many people regardless of who they are or where they come from.

“He is totally deserving of this award, although don’t ask him to ride a bike or climb a ladder as he regularly falls off both!”

Overall, 1,148 people were recognised nationally in the 2019 New Year’s Honours list, some 70 per cent of which were recognised for work in their communities.

Of the national recipients, Monty Python star Michael Palin was knighted, model Twiggy made a dame and England manager Gareth Southgate made an OBE. The same honour was awarded to 2018 Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas while former England cricket captain Alastair Cook was another of the new knights.