News
Suffolk Trading Standards officer named in New Year鈥檚 Honours List
Posted 02/01/18
A Suffolk Trading Standards officer and 51黑料 member has been named in the Queen鈥檚 New Year鈥檚 Honours List.
Carol Garrett, Trading Standards鈥� Team Leader of Border Controls, which is hosted by Suffolk Trading Standards, received an OBE for services to border control, Trading Standards and businesses.
Carol, who leads the national Trading Standards team responsible for border controls for the purposes of consumer safety across the country, is the UK鈥檚 Market Surveillance Authority expert in border controls and provides advice to Government on that subject, representing the UK at EU meetings and working with organisations to reduce the impact of fraudulent activity on those who operate legitimately.
Carol鈥檚 team is also the link between Her Majesty鈥檚 Revenue and Customs, UK Border Force and all market surveillance authorities, and Carol herself works with other enforcement agencies to ensure coordinated controls to achieve high levels of consumer safety and protection of the environment and businesses.
The team has stopped a number of unsafe products at the border before they can be sold on to unsuspecting customers 鈥� including thousands of dangerous hoverboards 鈥� leading to worldwide recognition and Carol giving advice to the Danish and Jamaican governments on the safety issues surrounding the product.
Following last week's announcemen, Carol said: 鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled to bits, ever since I was told I was going to receive it, I鈥檝e been living on a high. It鈥檚 huge recognition that what you鈥檙e doing is valued as well.
鈥淚t was such a surprise and very exciting 鈥� I鈥檝e been itching to tell everyone about it!
鈥淚t鈥檚 also quite humbling 鈥� and I would also like to thank the team too as it鈥檚 not just me and it鈥檚 the hard work they put in that is being recognised as well.鈥�
Cllr Matthew Hicks, Suffolk County Council鈥檚 cabinet member for Environment and Public Protection, said: 鈥淐arol鈥檚 dedication to stopping fake and dangerous goods entering Suffolk and indeed the rest of the UK is something to be admired.
鈥淭he honour Carol is receiving is evidence of her hard work and is richly deserved. Congratulations.鈥�
