Queen's Birthday Honours: North West Covid heroes and celebrities amongst those recognised
Video report by Correspondent Rob Smith
Celebrities, famous faces and not-so-famous faces from around the North West are among those who have been named in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours, which recognises people who have “made achievements in public life” and “committed themselves to serving and helping Britain”.
Nearly a quarter of the recipients of this year's honours are people at the forefront of the fight against coronavirus - many from our region.
Among the famous names, Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is made an MBE after he raised £4 million for the NHS from fellow Premier League footballers through the #PlayersTogether appeal.
Henderson said he was “humbled” by the award and insisted he was only part of a movement among with his Premier League counterparts, he dedicated his honour to NHS staff.“But the true heroes are the NHS staff. They put themselves in harm’s way to serve and protect us," Henderson said.“Therefore I dedicate this to all the nurses, doctors, carers, porters, admin workers, cleaners, security personnel and every single individual who devotes their career and their lives to making the NHS the part of British life we are rightly most proud of as a nation”.
David Hunt, head of vaccine operations and Juliette White, vice president, global sustainability are two of eight employees of Astrazeneca who have been recognised. David, from Southport, is made CBE, while Juliette, from Macclesfield is also made CBE.
Two leading academics from the University of Liverpool have been recognised for their services to research and the COVID-19 response.
Professor Tom Solomon, Director of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, has been honoured with a CBE and Professor William Hope, Director of the Centre of Excellence in Infectious Diseases Research, has received an OBE. As well as being eminent researchers in their own specialist fields, both have played pivotal roles in leading Liverpool’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Professor Dame Janet Beer, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool, said: “Professor William Hope and Professor Tom Solomon have both been awarded national honours in recognition of the service they have given as outstanding researchers and educators, and as leaders in their respective fields. The entire University of Liverpool community joins me in congratulating them on their honours – we are very proud to call them our own.”
Also honoured for inspirational community work is Martin Blondel who runs the Steve Prescott Foundation in memory of the late Rugby League hero.
He's been awarded an MBE to recognise his efforts to feed people in St Helens during the pandemic.
Foundation volunteers, including comedian Johnny Vegas, delivered more than 40 thousand meals.
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Manchester City footballer Raheem Sterling is also made an MBE for services to racial equality in sport amid controversy, over England fans booing players taking the knee at matches as a gesture against intolerance.
The 26-year-old has been subjected to vile online abuse throughout his career for both club and country.
The Premier League star said he was “grateful” to have been recognised for his work on racial equality, adding “my priority is to try to help to educate society and myself”.
He said: “My motivation for racial equality is to get people to understand the difficulties people from diverse backgrounds face and create an environment where everybody is equal”.
I feel we are starting to make a step in the right direction, but we still have a lot of work to do.
"There are still a lot of things we can get better at as a society such as social media with people taking more accountability. I think that is a major factor in achieving the ultimate goal of racial equality.
"We also need to support young people and give them opportunities to show what they are capable of achieving."
Inspiring youngsters, through hands-on teaching and special olympics success, has earned Kiera Byland the British Empire Medal.
An international cyclist and multiple gold medal winner, the 23-year-old from Bolton can't quite believe she's included in the Queen's Birthday Honours.
Creative arts:
Prestwich-born choreographer and former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips is made a Dame for services to dance and charity.
The 78-year-old began her life in showbiz in 1974, when she formed the dance group Hot Gossip.
She went on to choreograph some of the biggest shows on the West End and Broadway, including Grease, Starlight Express, and Saturday Night Fever; and became a judge on Strictly Come Dancing in 2004.
Also recognised is the Wigan poet and playwright Lemn Sissay, made an OBE for services to literature and charity. Sissay, who is chancellor of the University of Manchester, grew up in care and detailed his experiences in the autobiography of his early life, My Name Is Why.
Politics:
Veteran Labour MP for Rochdale, Tony Lloyd, is knighted for his public service.
He was first elected to public office in 1979 as a councillor in Trafford. He became an MP for Stretford in 1984 and in 2012 was elected Police and Crime Commissioner for Greater Manchester.
He became Rochdale's MP in 2017, then was appointed as Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in 2020, but following his discharge from hospital with coronavirus last year he stood down from his front bench role yet vowed to continue his role as a constituent MP.
Who are some of the other Covid heroes being recognised?
Julia Bridgewater, Group Chief Operating Officer at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), has been awarded an MBE.
The Honour recognises Julia’s leadership to MFT’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic as well as her major contribution to the regional and national pandemic management strategy.
Sir Michael Deegan, Group Chief Executive at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, commented: "Her contribution to the planning and oversight of MFT’s Covid-19 pandemic response was fundamental to ensuring hospital and community services across Manchester and Trafford delivered exceptional and safe care in an unprecedented situation."
"This foresight enabled MFT to rapidly re-skill staff for safe re-deployment to critical care units, train back office staff for front line roles and transfer other colleagues to key support functions ranging from family liaison roles to PPE distribution and staff wellbeing."
Alexandra Louise Hoskyn. Founder, The Chatty Cafe Scheme. For services to Tackling Loneliness during Covid-19. (Oldham, Greater Manchester) is made CBE.
Myles Jerome Stacey. For voluntary and charitable services to the Black community during the Covid-19 Response. (Manchester, Greater Manchester) is made an OBE
Here is a full list of all those from the North West recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours List:
Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Dame)
Arlene Phillips CBE. Choreographer. For services to Dance and Charity. (London, Greater London). Born in Prestwich
Knight Bachelors of the Order of the British Empire
Anthony Joseph Lloyd (Tony Lloyd) MP. Member of Parliament for Rochdale. For public service. (Manchester, Greater Manchester)
Companions of the Order of the Bath (CB)
Wendy Anne Hardaker. Director, Commercial Law Group, Government Legal Department. For services to the Law. (Rochdale, Greater Manchester)
Hamid Patel CBE. Chief Executive Officer, Star Academies. For services to Education. (Blackburn, Lancashire)
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
Michael Cunningham QPM. Lately Chief Executive Officer, College of Policing. For services to Policing and public service. (Poulton-Le-Fylde, Lancashire)
David Kenneth Hunt. Head of Vaccine Operations, AstraZeneca. For services to UK Healthcare and the Covid-19 Response. (Southport, Merseyside)
Susan Kerins (Susan Taylor). Lately Deputy Director, Residential and Accommodation Support Services Division, HM Prison and Probation Service. For public service. (Chester, Cheshire)
Professor Thomas Solomon. Chair of Neurological Science, University of Liverpool. For services to Neurological and Emerging Infections Research. (Liverpool, Merseyside)
Juliette Marie White. Vice President, Global SHE (Safety, Health and Environment) and Sustainability, AstraZeneca plc. For services to Life Sciences and the Medical Supply Chain. (Macclesfield, Cheshire)
Jonathan Beesley Bache JP. Lately Chair, Magistrates Association. For services to the Magistracy and the Administration of Justice. (Nantwich, Cheshire)
Jackie Driver. Chair, Board of Trustees, SignHealth and Chair, Breakthrough. For services to Hearing Impaired People, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. (Stretford, Greater Manchester)
Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Theresa Grant. Chief Executive, Northamptonshire County Council. For services to Local Government and the Public Sector. (Stockport, Greater Manchester)
Professor William Winima Denbeigh Hope. Director, Centre of Excellence in Infectious Disease Research. For services to Infectious Diseases Research during the Covid-19 Pandemic. (Lymm, Cheshire)
Lemn Sissay MBE. Poet and Playwright. For services to Literature and Charity. (London, Greater London) Born in Higher End, Wigan, Chancellor of University of Manchester.
Alexandra Louise Hoskyn. Founder, The Chatty Cafe Scheme. For services to Tackling Loneliness during Covid-19. (Oldham, Greater Manchester)
Francis McCarron. Lately Principal, Stockport Academy. For services to Education. (Altrincham, Greater Manchester)
Professor Gerald John Pillay DL. Vice-Chancellor, Liverpool Hope University. For services to Higher Education. (Liverpool, Merseyside)
Christine Mary Reekie (Christine McLoughlin). Director, Children Services, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council. For services to Children and Families. (Stockport, Greater Manchester)
Syed Naeem Pasha Shah. Head of Engagement, People, Places and Communities Division, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. For services to Faith Communities. (Stretford, Greater Manchester)
Kevin Sinfield MBE. Director of Rugby, Leeds Rhinos. For services to Rugby League Football and Charitable Fundraising. (Oldham, Greater Manchester)
Myles Jerome Stacey. For voluntary and charitable services to the Black community during the Covid-19 Response. (Manchester, Greater Manchester)
Janet Thomas. Lately Head of Public Protection, Directorate of Reducing Reoffending, National Probation Service, North West. For services to Probation. (Nelson, Lancashire)
Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Nicholas Ivan Abbott. Chair, Salford Foundation. For services to Young People and Social Inclusion in Salford, Greater Manchester. (Stockport, Greater Manchester)
Victoria Abbott-Fleming. Founder, Burning Nights Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Support. For services to Charity. (High Peak, Derbyshire)
Helen Anne Anthony. Volunteer, Soul Kitchen, Chester. For services to Homeless People. (Chester, Cheshire)
Stephen Atherton. Lately Field Worker, Justice and Peace Commission. For services to the community in Liverpool. (Wigan, Greater Manchester)
Lester Cornelis Barr. Founder and Chairman, Prevent Breast Cancer. For services to Cancer Prevention. (Lymm, Cheshire)
Martin Blondel. For services to the community in St Helens, Merseyside particularly during Covid-19. (Winsford, Cheshire)
Leonnard John Broadhurst. For services to the Food Supply Chain during Covid-19. (St Helens, Merseyside)
Hazel Elizabeth Brown. Head of Carers Services, Local Solutions. For services to Carers. (Liverpool, Merseyside)
Claire Diana Chadwick. Nurse Consultant in Infection Prevention and Control, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. For services to the NHS during Covid-19. (Rochdale, Greater Manchester)
Vimalkumar Choksi. Councillor, Ashton Waterloo, Tameside. For services to the community in Greater Manchester. (Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester)
Raymond Thomas Dainton. Fundraiser, Special Schools in Bolton. For services to Children with Special Educational Needs. (Bolton, Greater Manchester)
Sharon Denise Devey. Wellbeing Champion, Child Maintenance Group, Department for Work and Pensions. For services to Wellbeing in the Workplace. (Little Sutton, Cheshire)
Claudette Fraser. Employer Adviser, Hulme Jobcentre Plus, Work and Health Services Group, Department for Work and Pensions. For services to Unemployed People in South Manchester. (Manchester, Greater Manchester)
Severiano Gomez-Aspron. For services to the community of Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside during Covid-19. (St Helens, Merseyside)
Paul Anthony Grover (Paul Kalle-Grover). Chair, Liverpool China Partnership. For services to International Trade and Investment. (Maghull, Merseyside)
Dr Abdul Hafeez. Founder and Chief Executive, Association of Pakistani Physicians and Surgeons of the United Kingdom. For services to the NHS particularly during Covid-19. (Warburton, Greater Manchester)
Jemma Haines. Consultant Speech and Language Therapist, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. For services to Speech and Language Therapy particularly during Covid-19. (Wilmslow, Cheshire)
Stella Maria Hannaway. Head of Transformation, HM Prison Liverpool. For services to Prison Healthcare. (Crosby, Merseyside)
Tina Jacqueline Harrison. For services to the community in Bury, Greater Manchester during Covid-19. (Radcliffe, Greater Manchester)
Jordan Brian Henderson. Captain, Liverpool Football Club. For services to Football and Charity, particularly during the Covid-19 Pandemic. (Knutsford, Cheshire)
Kerrie Louise Higham. For services to the community in Morecambe, Lancashire particularly during Covid-19. (Morecambe, Lancashire)
Janette Barr Anderson Hogan. Cancer and Palliative Care Clinical Lead, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. For services to Palliative Care in Manchester. (Stockport, Greater Manchester)
Dr Fergus Keith Jepson. Consultant, Specialist Mobility Rehabilitation Centre, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, National Health Trust. For services to Injured Veterans. (Manchester, Greater Manchester)
Colin Brian Liptrot. Mechanical Electrical Instrumentation Control and Automation, Environment Agency. For services to Diversity and Inclusion. (Bolton, Greater Manchester)
Steven Mifsud. Director, Direct Access Consultancy Limited. For services to International Trade and Investment. (Nantwich, Cheshire)
Philip John Morris. Founder, Checkemlads. For services to Raising Awareness of Testicular Cancer. (Wirral, Merseyside)
Dr Murthy Lakshmi Narayana Motupalli. General Practitioner, NHS East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group. For services to Education, Training and Support for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Doctors and to General Practice. (Blackburn, Lancashire)
Beverley Murray. For services to the community in Chorley, Lancashire. (Chorley, Lancashire)Rebecca Oaks. For services to Coppicing and Green Wood Crafts. (Carnforth, Lancashire)
Katherine Anne O'Connor. Senior Policy Manager, Cities and Local Growth Unit, North West, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. For services to Business and the community in North West England. (Blackpool, Lancashire)
Graham Peter Phillips DL. County Commissioner, Cheshire Scouts and Chief Executive Officer, Cheshire Young Carers. For services to Young People in Cheshire during Covid-19. (Middlewich, Cheshire)
Andrew Robert Pratt. For services to the community in Lancashire during Covid-19. (Preston, Lancashire)Sara Louise Rowbotham. For services to Young People. (Manchester, Greater Manchester)
Professor Anthony Walter Rowbottom. Professor and Clinical Director for Pathology, Lancashire and South Cumbria Pathology Network, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals. For services to Pathology during the Covid-19 Pandemic. (Lytham, Lancashire)
John Thomas Shiels. Chief Executive Officer, Manchester United Foundation. For services to Young People through Football. (Sale, Greater Manchester)
Shirley Ann Southworth. For services to the community in Wigan, Greater Manchester during Covid-19. (Wigan, Greater Manchester)
Dr Lisa Graham Spencer. Consultant Respiratory Physician, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. For services to the NHS during Covid-19. (Manchester, Greater Manchester)
Raheem Sterling. For services to Racial Equality in Sport. (Crewe, Cheshire)Linda Elizabeth Tapner. Chief Executive Officer, Selnet. For services to Social Enterprise. (Skelmersdale, Lancashire)
Pauline Anne Town. For services to Homeless People in Ashton under Lyne. (Ashton under Lyne, Greater Manchester)
Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)
Syed Masum Ali. Lately Case Handler, Co-Operative Bank. For services to Financial Services and the community in Greater Manchester during the Covid-19 Pandemic. (Oldham, Greater Manchester)
Matthew Howard Baker. Freelance Director, Music and Performance for Creative Arts. For services to Music and the community in Chester during Covid-19. (Chester, Cheshire)
Eric Crompton Barber. Governor, Elm Wood Primary School, Middleton, Greater Manchester. For services to Education. (Oldham, Greater Manchester)
Sara Barlow. Postmaster, Rainhill Post Office. For services to Business and the community in Rainhill. (St Helens, Merseyside)
Daniel Robert Branch. For services to the community in Meols, Cheshire during Covid-19. (Wirral, Merseyside)Kiera Abigail Byland. For services to Sport. (Bolton, Greater Manchester)
Jayne Caslin. For services to the community in Halebank, Cheshire during Covid-19. (Widnes, Cheshire)
Nathan James Clarke. Founder, South Cheshire Amateur Boxing Club. For services to Sport and the community in South Cheshire. (Winsford, Cheshire)
Janet Deacon Arnold. Volunteer, Liverpool Hockey Club. For services to Education. (Liverpool, Merseyside)
Christopher Edwards. For services to Learning Disabilities Cricket. (Wallasey, Merseyside)
Deana Joan Emerton. For services to the community in Nantwich, Cheshire. (Nantwich, Cheshire)
Leslie William Green. For services to Weightlifting. (Eccles, Greater Manchester)Eira Margaret Heywood. Co-founder and Trustee, Bolton Adult Autism Support. For services to Families Impacted by Autism and Associated Mental Health Conditions. (Bolton, Greater Manchester)
Harold Graham Heywood. Co-founder and Chair of Trustees, Bolton Adult Autism Support. For services to Families Impacted by Autism and Associated Mental Health Conditions. (Bolton, Greater Manchester)
Dr Martin Frederic Hudson. Founder, Holmes Chapel Music Society. For services to Music. (Goostrey, Cheshire)
Ann Johnson. Teacher, St Michael's High School, Chorley. For services to Education. (Chorley, Lancashire)
Reverend Christine Margaret Jones. Founder, Working for Food Justice, West Cheshire Foodbank. For services to the community in West Cheshire during Covid-19. (Chester, Cheshire)
Catherine Theresa Kilday. For services to Charity in Manchester. (Whalley Range, Greater Manchester)
Julie Lawson. Customer Services Adviser, Personal Tax Operations, HM Revenue and Customs. For Voluntary and Charitable Services. (Crosby, Merseyside)
Lynda Leadbetter. For services to the community in Greater Manchester during Covid-19. (Winsford, Cheshire)
Lynda Joan Malley. For services to Girlguiding and the community in Merseyside. (Liverpool, Merseyside)
David Colm McNicholl. Chief Executive, Warrington Youth Club. For services to Young People during Covid-19. (Liverpool, Merseyside)
Rhian Fiona Monteith. Founder, The High Intensity User Programme. For services to People Who Access the NHS. (Southport, Merseyside)
Qamar Nawaz. Frontline Food Retail Worker, The Co-operative Group. For services to the Food Supply Chain. (Stockport, Greater Manchester)Graham Riding. For services to the community in Leyland, Lancashire. (Preston, Lancashire)
Heather Angela Shepherd. For services to Tameside East Foodbank during Covid-19. (Dukinfield, Greater Manchester)Christina Taylor. Cleaner, Pendle Primary Academy, Lancashire. For services to Education. (Burnley, Lancashire)
Kenneth Alan Edward Taylor. Writer, Manager, Director and Actor. For services to Theatre and Pantomime. (Oldham, Greater Manchester)
Tracey Janet Telford. For services to Tackling Covid-19. (Ashton, Cheshire)
Colin Wong. Senior Professional Tutor in Education and Faculty Senior Academic Adviser, Primary Teacher Education, Liverpool Hope University. For services to Education. (Warrington, Cheshire)