A prominent local farmer, Mr E John Thomas, has been awarded the MBE in the New Years honours list "for services to agriculture in south west Wales".
Mr Thomas, whose family have farmed in the area since 1862, ran a highly productive dairy herd at Llandre Egremont before milk quotas were introduced and he subsequently moved to one of the family's other farms at Caerwelwyn, Llandissilio, near Clynderwen.
Married to Brenda –whose late father Mr D J Bowen, of Cilwendeg, Boncath was also recognised with the OBE - the couple have two children, Karen, who now runs Llandre Egremont with her husband and also works as a business manager, and Martin who is a partner in a computer company located in the west Midlands.
John's father, Lewis Thomas, farmed Penfiedr, Llandissilio and was the first secretary of Clynderwen Young Farmers Club when it was founded over 60 years ago.
John – who qualified with a science degree in civil engineering at UCW Cardiff - worked on bridge construction in Nigeria for several years after graduating before returning home to join his parents and brother in the family business.
He is probably best known for serving the Clynderwen and district Farmers Association as honorary Secretary for over 40 years having succeeded his grandfather - also E J Thomas -who previously held the office for some 44 years.
He recalls that when he took over the role the society comprised just five branches and still ran a busy egg grading station, although a large butter packing plant had already gone. In those days the business was very labour intensive, mechanical handlers had not been introduced and there were over 70 employees were on the pay roll.
He has seen the "co-op" grow to become Clynderwen & Cardiganshire Farmers Association Ltd having progressively acquired businesses at Croesgoch (Robert Thomas), Llanglydwen (T P Davies), Narberth (Webb's), Glanrhyd (George's) and three former Dalgety branches at Llandow in the Vale of Glamorgan, Gaerwen (on Anglesey) and at Knighton in Powys.
Also during this time there have been mergers with agricultural co-ops at Crymych, Haverfordwest, Cardigan (Vale of Tivy), Newcastle Emlyn (Emlyn), North Cardiganshire (Aberystwyth and Tregaron) and with Cymdeithas Meirion across north Wales.
As the demands of the business have changed to meet the growing needs of many part-time farmers, horticulturalists and particularly those with equestrian interests things would appear to have gone full circle from having stores open just five days of the week to some depots now being open all seven days.
With a total of some 130 staff and an annual turnover exceeding £30 million, happily returning to profit after a number of difficult years of rationalisation and coming to terms with the requirements of deliveries to farms having, of necessity, to become centralised.
Apart from being dedicated to his own farming business and the continued wellbeing of agricultural co-operation he has been a former member and past Chairman of Llandissilio West (now Clunderwen) Parish and Community Council and he was for some 20 years Treasurer of the annual Clynderwen YFC Show.
John says he sees his award as a tribute to the staff of Clynderwen Farmers and also "to the farmers of the area for their continued loyalty to the organisation."
OTHER HONOURS
Other Pembrokeshire personalities mentioned in the Honours List included Mr. Stuart Barron Fletcher, former chief executive of the Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust was honoured with an OBE for services to the NHS.
There were also MBEs for Francis George, coxswain of Fishguard Lifeboat for services to the RNLI and David Raymond Saunders, of Milford Haven, for services to wildlife conservation in Wales.