Long serving URC organist honoured by Queen

John Dawson (pictured), the organist at Fairhaven United Reformed Church in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, received the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list published last week. Mr Dawson was honoured “for service to the community of Lytham St Annes”, specifically with regard to his lengthy musical service to the church, which includes playing at between 50 and 100 weddings a year!

Mr Dawson, who has attended the church all his life and began playing the organ when he was 11 years old, has now been organist at Fairhaven URC for 70 years. The Revd David Phillips, minister of Fairhaven, says, “All of us at Fairhaven love John and are thrilled that his achievements have been formally recognised in this way – we are all are immensely proud of him.”