A VET and a long-serving councillor are among the Oxfordshire residents appearing in today’s Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Others honoured for their work include pioneering university academics and community fundraisers.

Vet John Gripper is made an OBE for services to rhino conservation.

The 79-year-old, who ran Chipping Norton Veterinary Hospital for 15 years, set up the Sebakwe Black Rhino Trust charity in 1989.

Since then he and his wife Annie have travelled the world helping animals.

Mr Gripper, of Ascott-under-Wychwood, said: “To some extent you see honours given out to pop stars and politicians and it’s quite nice that it is given to a different sort of organisation.”

His interest in rhino conservation began when he worked for the Cotswold Wildlife Park, in Burford.

Long-serving county councillor Liz Brighouse celebrated her OBE last night with a fish and chip supper with her husband.

The leader of the council’s Labour group is now Lady Brighouse OBE, after her husband Tim, 68, a former chief education officer for Oxfordshire, was knighted in the New Year Honours.

Mrs Brighouse let her husband in on her secret, but had not told family and friends, including their four children and nine grandchildren.

“I’ll treat us to fish and chips from Wood Farm and maybe a bottle of wine,” she said. “Councillors get criticised a lot, but there’s no gravy train in local government.”

Mrs Brighouse represented the Wood Farm division between 1981 and 1989 and then combined looking after her family with her role as director of Oxfordshire Council for Voluntary Action.

In 2001, she was re-elected as county councillor for Wood Farm. The division was renamed Barton and Churchill in 2005.

A management consultant who invented a contract being used in the construction of the 2012 London Olympic Games sites is made a CBE for services to civil engineering.

Dr Martin Barnes, from Kirtlington, near Kidlington, a former partner in accountancy and consultancy firm Coopers & Lybrand, drew up the New Engineering Contract in 1994.

Use of the NEC is now common practice in civil engineering, on large-scale projects such as the Olympics and the redevelopment of St Pancras International railway station in London.

He said: “I was very surprised, but very proud.

“It was a bit tricky to keep it secret but it was manageable – I did tell my wife, though.”

Dr Helen Raine, 58, from Hook Norton, will be made an OBE for her services to the agri-food industry.

She said: “I was absolutely overwhelmed with surprise and absolutely delighted.

“I’m very flattered and very humbled by it.

“Everything I have ever done, I have done because I passionately believe in doing the best job I can for the industry and for farmers.”

Oxford University economics professor and Nuffield College fellow Prof David Hendry, 65, of Northmoor Road, Oxford, is knighted.

He said: “I was absolutely delighted and honoured. It was wonderful recognition and I feel proud.”

COUNTY HONOURS: KNIGHTS BACHELOR: Prof Ian Brownlie, CBE, QC. Emeritus Professor of International Law, Oxford University and former member and chairman of the UN International Law Commission. For services to public international law.

Professor David Forbes Hendry. Professor of Economics, University of Oxford. For services to social science.

Professor Christopher Ricks. Professor of Poetry, University of Oxford, and Professor of Humanities, Boston University, US. For services to scholarship.

ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE: CBE Professor Andrew Ashworth. Chairman, Sentencing Advisory Panel. For services to the administration of justice. (Oxford).

Dr Martin Barnes. For services to civil engineering.

Jeff Banks. For services to the fashion industry and to charity. (Oxfordshire) OBE Lady Elizabeth Brighouse. Leader of the Labour group, Oxfordshire County Council. For services to local government.

John Gripper. For services to rhinoceros conservation and to animal welfare.

Roger Andrew McKenzie. Formerly Regional secretary, Midlands Trades Union Congress. For services to diversity and to equal opportunities. (Oxford) Dr Helen Raine. For services to the agri-food industry. (Oxfordshire) Mrs Wendy Elizabeth Rose. Vice-chairman, Homestart UK. For services to children and families. (Burford).

MBE Rosalind Eleanor Jane Hall. For voluntary service to the RAF and Dependants’ Disabled Holiday Trust. (Wallingford).

Dr Mohga Kamal-Yanni. For services to Oxfam. (Oxfordshire).

Linda Wallace. Director, Policy and Professional Services, British Dental Association. For services to healthcare. (Oxfordshire).

Gillian Watson. For services to equestrian sport. (Thame).

MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL: Warrant Officer Phil Walmsley, Station Fire Officer, RAF Brize Norton Flight Sergeant Colin Gaffney, general engineering flight, RAF Brize Norton.

Flight Sergeant Christopher Gee, parachute engineering facility RAF Brize Norton.

Sergeant Dave Bayliss, painter and finisher, RAF Brize Norton.