Wexford man on the Queen’s honours list

June 1999

A Wexford town man will head for Buckingham Palace next month to accept an OBE from Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

Anthony Hillis, who originally hails from Corish Park, has been included in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list, by request of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair.

Anthony was nominated for his many years of dedication to the mental health services in Britain.

Currently the administrator at Rayside Clinic in Birmingham, Anthony has lectured throughout the UK and abroad on mental health issues.

Married with children, Anthony worked with the bursars St. Peter’s College before heading to England nearly two decades ago.

There he trained as a psychiatric nurse at Maidstone in Kent, before going on to complete a midwifery and general nursing course.

Later he moved into administration, and he has dedicated the rest of his career to working with the mentally handicapped.

A long-term member of the British Labour Party, Anthony is on very good terms with the British Prime Minister, who nominated him for the OBE.

Says Anthony’s brother Harvey: ‘He knows the Prime Minister, and would have regular dealings with the Home Secretary through his work’.

Anthony, who is married to Gina (another health worker), is the son of Anne Hillis from Talbot Green.

Anne, and the rest of Anthony’s family in Wexford, are extremely proud of his achievements across the water.

‘We are all very proud of him. Our mother will travel over to Buckingham Palace next month to see him get the OBE. She is really looking forward to it,’ said Harvey.

While Anthony has lived in England for many years, he has never lost touch with Wexford and his family here.

‘He travels home a few times a year. He has never lost touch,’ said Harvey.