Queen’s honour for Vicky
A FORMER women’s England rugby union international from Hinckley has been recognised in the Queen’s birthday honours.
Vicky MacQueen, who earned her first cap for her country in 2004 against Canada, is a new recipient of the British Empire Medal.
The mum-of-two, Vicky is currently head of PE at Redmoor Academy in Hinckley but is leaving at the end of the summer term to concentrate on her own venture, Didi Rugby.
A delighted Vicky said: “I’m completely overwhelmed really, I kind of can’t believe it. I found out a couple of weeks ago and obviously I couldn’t say anything but now the news is out and it’s amazing.
“I feel really honoured and quite humbled. It’s nice to be recognised for something that I just thought was part of me and my life anyway.”
The citation for Vicky says she has been awarded the BEM ‘for services to womens and youth sport participation and to charity’.
At Redmoor since 2003 Vicky has always emphasised the importance of competitive sport and encouraged pupils to take part in local and county championships.
From 2005-2010 she was school sports co-ordinator which involved motivating children at local primary schools, particularly girls, to engage in a wide range of sporting activities.
An accredited Level 3 qualified rugby union coach she was the first woman to act as team coach for Hinckley RFC men’s first XV and inspired by her children launched Didi Rugby sessions to encourage more youngsters to get involved in sport.
Her first sessions for two to five-year-olds were held last year at Hinckley RFC on Leicester Road and at St Francis Centre on Tudor Road.
She is now giving up her teaching profession to concentrate of Didi Rugby full-time and hopes to take it nationwide - with pilot schemes operating in Norfolk and Hertfordshire already.
Vicky said: “Didi Rugby is growing all the time, there are now 26 classes in the local area, and while I have had a great time at Redmoor I thought, it is now or never and I’m looking forward to the challenge of moving Didi Rugby forward.
“I feel it’s really important to get children active from a young age.”
The BEM also recognises Vicky’s efforts in fundraising for Cancer Research. She is the driving force behind money-mustering activities at Hinckley RFC and the twice yearly ladies lunches she organises there have raised more than £10,000.
Also recognised are sport enthusiasts Jim and Sue Houghton, from Desford, who have been honoured for their ‘services to sport and well-being in the community in Desford’.
The couple were the recipients of the Unsung Hero Award at the 2012 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
The husband and wife team have spent 25 years converting a derelict Second World War airfield into a thriving centre for a number of sports in Desford. In that time they’ve helped raise £1 million through grants and donations.
The facilities include tennis and squash courts, football pitches, a gym, bowling green and dance studio.
The facility sees more than 1,000 users each week including people with cancer, older people and people with disabilities.