‘A very uplifting experience’
All areas: Innovator and Lorraine Kelly on honours list
The Queen’s Birthday Honours were revealed on Friday, with more than 1,490 people being recognised across the country.
The majority of the list was completed before the pandemic but it was deferred in order to consider nominations for playing crucial roles in the first few months of COVID-19. It has prioritised frontline and community heroes that went 'above and beyond' to help others.
This includes Sir Captain Tom Moore who was knighted at Windsor Castle earlier this year.
In the Royal Borough, Maidenhead resident Kevin Baughan received an OBE for services to innovation and skills development.
Before retiring in 2018 Kevin, 62, was deputy chief executive officer at Innovate UK, the UK’s Innovation agency, and part of UK Research and Innovation.
Innovate UK drives productivity and economic
growth by supporting businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas.
During his tenure Kevin supported the successful integration of Innovate UK into UK Research and Innovation, and also oversaw important new initiatives.
Kevin, of Horseguards Drive, described the honour as ‘a very uplifting experience’.
He said: “It was a huge surprise and it was a very uplifting experience for all of my family, friends and the colleagues I have worked with over the years.”
In Bucks, TV presenter and journalist Lorraine
Kelly was recognised for her work on and off screen.
Kelly was awarded a CBE on Friday for services to broadcasting, journalism and charity. She was made an OBE in 2012.
The Scot, who lives in Bourne End, presents her own daytime TV show Lorraine and is patron of the Help for Heroes charity.
Kelly told ITV: “This is such an unexpected honour, I’m very grateful and humbled.
“I’ve worked in journalism since I left school in 1978 and joined my local newspaper, and have been lucky to have been on breakfast TV for 36 years. It’s a job I never take for granted and that I dearly love. I’ve met some truly inspirational people and I learn something new every day.”
Elsewhere in Bourne End, former Conservative MP for St Albans, Anne Margaret Main, was awarded a CBE for public and parliamentary service.
Main, 63, lost her Hertfordshire seat to the Liberal Democrats at the 2019 General Election, having also served as a councillor with South Bucks District Council in the early 2000s.
During her time in Parliament, Main served on three cross-party Select Committees as well as a number of bill committees.
She was also elected chair of the Britain-Bangladesh All Party Parliamentary Group in 2009.