Honoured for going extra mile in chosen fields
UNI CHIEF AND PEATY AMONG THOSE ON NEW YEAR LIST
AN array of local sporting heroes, educationalists, people from the medical profession and an actor feature in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list
They are among 1,278 recipients nationally, including knighthoods for those helping the nation to battle Covid-19 such as England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty and deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-tam, and a damehood for Dr Jenny Harries. Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, originally knighted in the 2019 New Year Honours list, is elevated to a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.
Married Olympians Laura and Jason Kenny receive a damehood and knighthood, respectively, for their services to cycling.
Locally, the recipients include:
PROFESSOR KATHRYN MITCHELL CBE (COMMANDER OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE)
Vice-chancellor and chief executive of the University of Derby, Professor Mitchell has been given the highestranking Order of the British Empire award for services to higher education during a 30-year career.
Prior to joining the university in 2015, she held the role of deputy vice-chancellor of the University of West London, was a Wellcome Fellow at the Institute of Psychiatry, London, for over seven years, and worked for the University of Chicago, the Rockefeller Institute in New York and the Friedrich Miescher Institute in Basel.
Since she joined the University of Derby, Prof Mitchell has demonstrated transformational leadership which has impacted positively on the quality of education delivered across the city and county.
Through her role as chair of the Derby Opportunity Area Board, which she has held for the past five years, her regional impact has been particularly felt.
In 2015, Derby was towards the bottom nationally in school attainment but since she has been at the helm this has improved by 25 places, and 70% of children have achieved good development, closing the gap by 4% to the national level of 72%.
Originally from St Helens, and with her family based in Crowthorne, Berkshire, Prof Mitchell has immersed herself in her adopted city, gaining recognition from business leaders, educators and industry for her energy, innovation and dedication in supporting the city.
She gives her time freely to support a range of business and cultural events, including as chair of the Midlands Enterprise Universities Board and as a proactive member of the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Board.
Prof Mitchell said: “I am honoured to have been named in the New Year Honours list. Raising the educational aspirations of people regardless of their age or background and assuring that a high-quality education is accessible to all is something I am extremely passionate about..
Lord Burlington, chancellor of the University of Derby, said: “We are delighted that Kathryn has been recognised with a CBE and I would like to offer my congratulations on this outstanding achievement.
“Kathryn’s commitment and dedication to the university, as well as to the city and wider region, is impressive and unwavering, as is her drive to deliver benefits far beyond the student body.
“She is a truly inspirational leader and a passionate advocate for the transformational benefits of education and ensuring equity of opportunity for all.”
PROFESSOR RAVI PRAKASH MAHAJAN CBE
Lately president of Royal College of Anaesthetists, Professor Mahajan receives his honour for services to anaesthesia. He lives in the Alfreton area.
CLIVE LAWRENCE OBE (OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE)
Derby man Clive Lawrence, who was once the youngest head teacher in the UK, has been awarded an OBE for his services to education and says his secondary school helped to shape the path of his life.
Mr Lawrence is best known as the former executive head teacher at St Giles School but is now director of special educational needs at Greenwood Academies. He has also volunteered in the city, including with Derby Kids Camp and raised money for charities such as Treetops Hospice.
A former Merrill School pupil – now known as Alvaston Moor Academy – Mr Lawrence spent almost two decades supporting vulnerable children and their families in Derby.
Born and bred in Allenton, he says that although times were hard for his family, teachers at Merrill School recognised his potential.
And staff at the school say that the former pupil, who has a plaque bearing his name displayed in reception, is the talk of the classroom.
Current Alvaston Moor Academy head Michelle Strong said: “Everyone at Alvaston Moor is incredibly proud of Clive and his career achievements are the perfect illustration of what can be accomplished by hard work and determination.
“Like many of our pupils, Clive came from humble beginnings, and he could quite easily have chosen a different path in life which is what makes him such an inspiration and the perfect role model.
“The fact that Clive became a head teacher himself shows how much he values the power of education. We are delighted that Clive is returning the faith that his own teachers had in him with the next generation.”
Mr Lawrence was brought up by his mum, Angela – who gave birth to him when she was only a teenager herself – alongside his two younger brothers and sister. His motivation to succeed came after watching a family member take a different path in life, resulting in him being permanently excluded from school.
Mr Lawrence said: “Alvaston Moor Academy is where my roots are and I’m extremely proud to say that I went to this school. It played a big part in my life and it helped to shape who I am today. I had some great teachers there; particularly in the PE department, who always went that ‘extra mile’ to guide and support me.
“I was heavily involved in the school sports team and it was a place which taught me how to be resilient, to be accepting of people from different backgrounds and cultures, and to stand up for what you truly believe in.”
WILLIAM ROACHE OBE
Best known for playing Ken Barlow in Coronation Street, Mr Roache grew up in Ilkeston. He was awarded an MBE in the 2001 New Year Honours. He receives his OBE for services to drama and charity.
ADAM PEATY OBE
Former Derby College student Adam Peaty came to prominence when he won the gold medal in the 100m breaststroke at the 2016 summer Olympics in Rio and then retained the title at the 2020 summer
Olympics held in Tokyo in 2021 the first British swimmer to retain a title. He holds the world record at 50m and 100m breaststroke and has also won several world, European and Commonwealth championships. Adam, from Uttoxeter, started training at the City of Derby swimming club in 2009, where he was coached by former swimmer and elite coach Mel Marshall. He also trained at Repton School.
Adam, who now lives in Kegworth, receives his honour for services to swimming.
GARETH BATTY MBE (MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE)
Chief executive of food charity Fairshare Yorkshire, Mr Batty, who lives in Eckington, receives his honour for services to the charity sector.
RYAN COWLING MBE
Securing gold medals in the Paralympics in Tokyo last summer, Ryan Cowling was part of the Great Britain wheelchair rugby team who beat the USA in the finals.
Playing in a defensive position, Ryan was the oldest member of the team and only began playing wheelchair rugby for fun in 2010
but by 2014 was captain of the GB talent team – 16 years after suffering a spinal injury which resulted in needing the wheelchair.
He played at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio but is immensely proud of his gold medal in 2021. The father of two, who lives in Matlock, receives his honour for services to wheelchair rugby.
BEN WATSON MBE
Last summer, Ben Watson, of Glossop, became a Paralympic double gold medal winner in two cycling races in Tokyo.
He claimed victories in the time trial and in the men’s road race, just four years after joining the British team’s foundation squad four following an office career.
Up to age 14 he was a normal teenager but he developed neurological disorder Guillain-barre Syndrome and went from being able to run and walk and stuff to being paralysed in hospital.
He became part of the Great Britain cycling team in 2017.
KAREN BUSSOOA BEM (BRITISH EMPIRE MEDAL)
Retiring in June 2020, after 40 years of NHS service in Derbyshire, Ms Bussooa most recently worked as
end-of-life facilitator at the Royal Derby Hospital.
She began her training as a nurse in Derby in the late 1970s before qualifying in 1980 and going on to work at the former Derbyshire Royal Infirmary site on London Road. Community nursing was her next role in the early 1990s and Ms Bussooa qualified as a district nurse in 1997 and later as a community matron, before moving into commissioning for the Southern Derbyshire Primary Care Team.
But she decided to return to the Royal Derby Hospital as an end-oflife facilitator in 2007 and helped to implement a number of initiatives to improve end-of-life care for patients, including the opening of the Healing Garden at Royal Derby Hospital, as well as establishing the education programme for nurses.
She receives her honour for services to end-of-life care.
KIM JOHNSON BEM
An arts education consultant with Derbyshire County Council virtual school, Ms Johnson, of Wirksworth, receives her honour for services to the arts, education and to young people.