Kilkeel woman receives British Empire Medal

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New Year Hons Sally Johnston

A KILKEEL woman who received a British Empire Medal in the New Year Honours List says she feels overwhelmed to have been acknowledged and “truly humbled” by all the good wishes.

Sally Johnston received the BEM for services to education and to the community in County Down.

A native of Ballyroney, near Ballyward, Sally moved to Kilkeel following her marriage to Harry almost 47 years ago.

She joked that the 29th of November is a date she will now never forget, as that was when she learned of her good news.

 Until August 2023 Sally was the Principal’s PA in Banbridge Academy.

She is also heavily involved in the life of her local church, Christ Church Kilkeel.

Describing the accolade as “very well-deserved”, a statement from Banbridge Academy added that for 27 years Sally “was the heartbeat of the Academy and she ensured that all administrative procedures and facilities were in place to provide the best possible quality of education to generations of students”.

It also stated that Mrs Johnston “was widely acknowledged across Northern Ireland as an exceptional role model within the field of education administration.”

Mr Robin McLoughlin, principal, congratulated Sally on receiving a BEM “in recognition of her exemplary service to students, parents, teaching and non-teaching colleagues and Governors”.

He also praised Sally’s “devotion to her local community in Kilkeel”.

“Sally’s drive and determination for others has grown the number of people enjoying choral music, introduced organ tuition and opportunities for the community of Kilkeel,” he said.

“Everyone at the Academy congratulates Sally on this very well-deserved honour.”

Rev Alison Calvin explained that Sally “is a major contributor to church life,” and this includes leading worship on occasion and being one of the church organists.

For over 20 years she has been honorary secretary to the Select Vestry in Christ Church.

The local rector added: “We are delighted for Sally and extend our congratulations.”

Sally, who also recently took on the role of secretary at Kilkeel Royal British Legion, has been congratulated on her accolade by South Down MLA Diane Forsythe.

The local politician said she was “extremely proud to see Sally recognised” in this way.

She added that the honour is “so well deserved for a dedicated local woman, committed to serving others for so long”.

With Sally’s good news shared on social media, the mum-of-two said she was astounded by the volume of congratulatory messages.

Looking back on the morning the official letter – from the Cabinet Office – arrived at the Johnston household, Sally said she let out a loud gasp when she started to read its contents.

Her husband Harry asked her what the letter was.

“I was speechless, I literally could not get the words out, which is not like me,” she smiled.

“The letter arrived on the 29th of November, and that day is now engrained in my mind forever.

“There were more than a few times when it was like a ‘pinch me’ moment, as none of it seemed real.”

Able to reveal the news to her children, Lyn and Steven, on the 30th of December, Sally said they were initially as shocked as she had been.

“It certainly took a while for them to compute that information, but they are very proud of me,” she said.

Having spent almost 30 years working in the Banbridge school, since her retirement in August 2023 Sally has immersed herself in plenty of things.

“All I wanted to do when I was a young girl at school was to work in an office and when I took up the job at the Academy, it really suited me, as I really loved not just the administration side of things, but everything else.

“I just loved my time there and it seemed to be the perfect fit for me.”

She added that featuring on the New Year Honours List wasn’t something she had ever, even remotely, contemplated.

But she is delighted such an honour has been conferred on her.

 “I was only doing my job, and I do feel a little embarrassed, as I know there are so many deserving people out there, but now I am over the shock of it all, I am chuffed to bits.

“I never thought anything like this would happen to me.”

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