Several people from Monmouthshire have been recognised for their contributions to the community by being included on the New Year Honours List.

The award recognises a person’s hands-on service that has made a meaningful difference to the local community.Nicholas Cann has been awarded a British Empire Medal for services to stroke survivors and the Stroke Association.Since suffering a massive stroke seven years ago, Mr Cann has raised £120,000 for Monmouthshire Aphasia Phoenix Project and the Strike a Chord choir.He started to give up his time to fundraise two years ago as he was still having intensive treatment to help him re-learn how to speak and read as a result of his stroke, which left him with severe Aphasia, a complex communication and language disorder.Before his stroke, Mr Cann enjoyed performing stand-up comedy and the effects of his stroke deeply affected his quality of life.Mr Cann is still in recovery and continues to be supported by the stroke recovery team at the Stroke Wales Association. The team supports stroke survivors and families in the community, rebuilding their lives and confidence.Despite his Aphasia, he continues to speak at events across the UK to raise awareness.With his family, friends and work colleagues, Mr Cann regularly participates in gruelling fundraising events to raise money for the Stroke Association, including 10k races, baking competitions and sumo suit wrestling. He has completed the 5k Devauden run and took part in a Cardiff to Tenby bike ride, completing 40 miles despite weakness in the right side of his body.He said: "I am honoured and grateful to receive the British Empire Medal. I could not have done it without my wife, Jo and my three children Jemma, Rhys and Bec."I am proud to work for the Stroke Association. Initially, I couldn’t even say or write my name and for a very long time I would confuse the words yes and no."Now I am a full-time ambassador for stroke and will continue to raise awareness of this terrible, life-threatening condition that affects so many."Musical director of Chepstow Town Band Brian Ellam was also awarded a British Empire Medal for services to music.As well as the town band, Mr Ellam is the Musical Director of Chepstow Community Big Band and its Microjazz Training Band. He also promotes local live music through BEspoke Music Services and set up Chepstow Community Music Centre in September 2015.He learned to read music and play the cornet through brass bands in Yorkshire, reaching an early peak as a solo cornet player with Marsden Silver Prize Band at the age of 16. At Cardiff University, Brian switched to the trumpet for orchestral experience and gained an honours degree in music before training as a school music teacher.He said that the most rewarding parts of his jobs in three secondary schools in the Midlands and Welsh borders, has been to run brass and jazz groups and see them perform in the local community. He recently addressed a shortage of trombonists in the area by setting up a project to inspire new young learners and by switching to the instrument himself.Caldicot resident Renate Collins has received a British Empire Medal for services to holocaust education.She escaped the Nazis 80 years ago as a passenger on the last train from Prague known as Kindertransports, where Jewish refugees left for Czechoslovakia. She lost 65 family members in the Holocaust.Her mother and grandmother were recorded as dying at a Nazi extermination camp in German-occupied Poland called Treblinka.They were on their way by train when it broke down. Instead of waiting for the train to be repaired, the passengers were shot and then buried in Treblinka. At the age of five in 1939, she travelled to live with a foster family in Porth in Rhondda Cynon Taff.In total 1,097 people have received an award. Amongst them, 556 women are included in the honours list, representing 51 per cent of the total. Some 72 per cent of recipients are being recognised for work in their community.