AN EDUCATIONALIST from Kew Gardens, a Barnes professor and the chief executive of Rolls Royce were amongst locals recognised in the New Year's Honours list.

After working at Kew Gardens for 28 years and being instrumental in creating their education services and spreading the message of bio-diversity and sustainability, Gail Bromley, the garden's education development manager, has been honoured for services to education in the New Years honours list.

Gail, 52, lives with her husband and two children in Horsall, Woking.

When news of the MBE was made public on Tuesday she said: "I found out in November when I got a letter from the Prime Minister's office. It was really lovely and I was very surprised. You do think oh my goodness me!"

Gail was a researcher into Brazilian plants and taxonomy when she began to think about the possibilities of Kew as a centre of education.

She said: "I thought we needed to get the public more involved. So we set up the volunteer scheme and began to run educational projects."

Now Gail travels around the world carrying out consultancy work for Kew, teaching educational methodology to other organisations.

She is part of a large team who pass on to teachers the principles of conservation that the Gardens are founded on.

Gail was a governor at Richmond Adult College for almost ten years but gave it up eight years ago. She doesn't have time now for anything other than her much-loved work.

She thinks at the moment that her future lies with Kew: "Although you never know what's round the corner, Kew Gardens is a fabulous place to work and after 28 years I can't see myself going anywhere else."

Two Barnes residents have been knighted.

Professor Sir Ravinder Nath Maini, Professor of Rheumatology and lately head of the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Imperial College, London has been honoured for services to rheumatology.

The Castelnau resident, who recently retired as director of the Kennedy Research Institute at Imperial College London, led a team of researchers over a 15-year period looking for new treatments for rheumatoid arthritis.

In rheumatoid arthritis, the body's own immune system attacks tissues in the joints, causing inflammation, pain, and reduced mobility.

Sir Ravinder's team found that one of the leading agents in the process was a body chemical called tumour necrosis factor (TNF). They found a way to stop this from working, greatly reducing the pain and inflammation of severely affected patients.

Their breakthrough, so-called anti-TNF' drugs, were finally licensed only in the last two years.

Jane Tadman, from the Arthritis Research Campaign, which funds his work, told reporters: "This recognition is long overdue - this was a significant breakthrough in this field."

John Edward Victor Rose, chief executive of Rolls-Royce plc has been honoured for services to the defence and aerospace industries.

The Nassau Road resident joined the treasury department at Rolls-Royce in 1984 and was appointed chief executive in 1996.