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Birthday Honours List 2026 - High Awards (HTML)

Published 12 June 2026

COMPANION OF HONOUR (CH)

SIR DONALD MCCULLIN CBE

The celebrated and knighted photographer, known for stark images of war and social inequality, was the subject of Tate Britain’s 2019-20 retrospective. His recent prolific output includes two 2023 books, Life, Death and Everything in Between and Journeys Across Roman Asia Minor, reflecting a shift from documenting immediate suffering to exploring history through place. This duality is seen in late-career exhibitions like Broken Beauty (2026), which uses still life and landscape as a moral counterbalance to his conflict imagery. Despite global recognition, including the 2025 Bodley Medal, the 90-year-old remains ambivalent, lamenting his work’s inability to stop human conflict. He continues to mentor young photographers, emphasising empathy, honesty, and moral responsibility in documenting local social injustices. His enduring work confronts the world’s horrors and beauty with unflinching sensitivity.

DAME HELEN LYDIA MIRREN DBE

Since receiving her Damehood in 2003, at age 80, she has elevated her status as a dynamic and influential actor, embodying artistic longevity and the deepening of creative power with age. Her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen (2006) earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress, alongside BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild honors. Defying industry boundaries, she has continued to take on major, challenging roles in film and television, including the adaptation of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club, well into her eighth decade. Recognised with the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award and the prestigious 2026 Cecil B. DeMille Award, she joins an elite lineage of cinematic legends. Beyond her professional achievements, she uses her platform to challenge ageist norms, celebrating aging as a source of wisdom and vitality. She stands as a testament to resilience, reinvention, and the enduring power of experience.

DAME GRAND CROSS OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (GBE)

DAME PARVEEN JUNE KUMAR DBE

She co-chairs the BMJ Commission for the Future of the NHS and is ambassador to the UK Health Alliance for Climate Change. She was an expert member of Genomics England’s Access Review Committee, and a Member of the UK Uyghur Tribunal. She co-founded and authored the textbook Kumar and Clark’s Clinical Medicine, used worldwide. As President of the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund, she raised £100,000, and helped establish a confidential helpline for doctors in distress. As President of the Royal Society of Medicine, she set up the Global Health initiative. At the Royal College of Physicians, she was a senior examiner and set up educational programmes.

KNIGHT GRAND CROSS OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (GBE)

SIR JONATHAN STEPHEN CUNLIFFE CB

He has provided 40 years of distinguished public service, notably as Deputy Governor for Financial Stability at the Bank of England (2013-23), where he was key to post-2008 reforms and strengthening financial resilience. His career, recognised by a Knighthood in 2010 for his role as advisor to the Prime Minister during the 2008 financial crisis, also includes serving as the UK’s Permanent Representative to the EU and various senior roles in the Treasury and Cabinet Office. Recently, he chaired the Independent Water Commission (2024-25), leading a significant review of the sector. He is known for combining technical expertise with exemplary public service values across economic policy, international relations, and financial governance.

DAME COMMANDER OF THE ORDER OF THE BATH (DCB)

SUSANNA JUSTINE MCGIBBON KC

Over the course of her career in the Government Legal Profession, across many departments, she has played an outstanding role in modernising and professionalising legal services to Government.  She has been at the heart of high profile, constitutionally important and legal significant issues; culminating in her appointment as Her Majesty’s Procurator General, Treasury Solicitor and Permanent Secretary of the Government Legal Department in 2021.  As Treasury Solicitor, she personally provided legal advice to the Cabinet Secretary and Ministers on the most complex legal issues and sensitive matters of propriety and ethics.  She personally led cross government legal co-ordination of high profile litigation cases and Public Inquiries.  As a Permanent Secretary she played a valuable role in the corporate leadership of the Civil Service including serving as the Civil Service Faith and Belief Champion.  She plays an active and prominent role in the wider legal profession, increasing awareness of government legal work, and she is recognised for her commitment to improving opportunities for women and under-represented groups.  As senior member of Lincoln’s Inn she continues to contribute to the education of students and junior lawyers and to help mold the profession to be fit for the future.  She was appointed King’s Counsel honoris causa in 2025.

KNIGHT COMMANDER OF THE ORDER OF THE BATH (KCB)

SIMON PETER BURTON 

He has dedicated 38 years to parliamentary service, culminating in five years as Clerk of the Parliaments and head of the House of Lords Administration. He is credited with dismantling institutional hierarchies, replacing them with a modern culture of equality, respect, and inclusion. During turbulent political periods, he maintained strict impartiality while prioritising the wellbeing and professional development of all House staff. His leadership fostered deeper cooperation between the Lords and Commons, leaving Parliament significantly better equipped for the future. Beyond Parliament, he has been a committed community leader, serving as Chair of Governors for Dulwich Hamlet Junior School and a trustee for the historic Herne Hill Velodrome.

DAME COMMANDER OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (DBE)

PROFESSOR SHEILA MACDONALD BIRD OBE FMedSci FRSE 

Her research has significantly contributed to public health through a series of record-linkage studies, focusing on hard-to-reach populations to make discoveries about public health and monitor the impact of public health policies. She took a prominent role in the Royal Statistical Society C19 Taskforce, campaigning for better evidence on diagnostic testing and proper evaluation of the effects of alternative policies. Part of the Infected Blood Inquiry, she was a founding member of the Statistical Expert Group in 2019, and continued contributing to their work during the pandemic. She co-directed the work underlying the final Report from the Statistics Expert Group published 2022, using extensive statistical analysis and modelling.

MALORIE BLACKMAN OBE 

One of Britain’s most prolific and influential authors, she has written over 70 books in a career spanning three decades and pioneered diversifying representation in publishing. Born in Clapham, London, to Barbadian Windrush parents, she grew up in Lewisham, developing a deep love for reading despite a school advisor’s discouragement. She initially pursued Computer Science, working as a programmer before deciding to write professionally in her late 20s. After 82 rejections, her first book was published in 1990. She is best known for the Noughts & Crosses series (2001), a dystopian alternative history exploring racism. Other key works include Pig-Heart Boy and Boys Don’t Cry. She broke numerous barriers: she was the first person of color to be UK Children’s Laureate (2013–2015) and the first person of color to write for Doctor Who (co-writing the acclaimed episode “Rosa” in 2018). Her accolades include the PEN Pinter Prize (2022).

PROFESSOR CAROL ELSPETH GOODEVE BRAYNE CBE

She is the world’s leading dementia epidemiologist, remaining active internationally as a researcher, writer, speaker and advisor to major research projects. She is best known for her work as principal investigator of the MRC Cognitive Function and Ageing Studies. Her research underpins our current understanding of dementia, and she applies her findings to both health policy and practice. She has led multiple University, Faculty of Public Health, Public Health England and National Institute for Health Research initiatives, establishing, for example, the population health advisor role and health inequalities advisory group at the Royal College of Physicians.

PROFESSOR MELANIE JANE DAVIES CBE

She has made an exceptional, international impact in diabetes research and clinical management. Her scientifically rigorous self-management programme has been implemented by more than 110 Health Care Organisations across four continents. Her work has tackled inequalities and had global reach, and she has remained innovative and agile as a leader. She has worked tirelessly raising funding, including from industry and philanthropy, to create a multi-million-pound state of the art clinical research facility. She is one of a handful of women ever to direct an NIHR Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), and one of only two ever to lead two BRCs and a Biomedical Research Unit.

JULIA CATHERINE DONALDSON CBE

One of the UK’s most popular authors, best known for rhyming children’s books like The Gruffalo (1999), she is a prolific writer who initially worked as a songwriter for children’s television before her career took off in 1993 when her song “A Squash and a Squeeze” became a book, illustrated by her long-time collaborator, Axel Scheffler. She served as the UK Children’s Laureate from 2011 to 2013, championing public libraries, and has written over 200 books, including Room on the Broom and Stick Man; her most famous work, The Gruffalo, is translated into over 100 languages. In early 2025, she surpassed J.K. Rowling as Britain’s best-selling author, and her recent works include Jonty Gentoo: The Adventures of a Penguin (2025), with a new Gruffalo picture book Gruffalo Granny, scheduled for release in Autumn 2026.

JANE FRASER

Since 2021, as Citigroup Chief Executive Officer (CEO) she has led a multi-year strategy and major restructuring to simplify and modernise the bank, a successful overhaul recognized by her being named ‘Banker of the Year’ and consolidating the CEO and Chair roles. Overseeing nearly 230,000 employees, she guides a critical part of the global financial system; Citi is a major contributor to the UK economy, demonstrated by serving 85% of FTSE 100 companies and a confirmed $1.5 billion investment in its London headquarters. She also oversees the Citi Foundation, recently committing $25 million to tackle young adult unemployment and AI-related labour disruption.

HELEN CHRISTINE GORDON 

She transformed Grainger plc, the UK’s largest listed residential landlord, from a business into a high growth entity and the UK’s Build to Rent (BTR) leader. She has been a member of 3 Government Taskforces: Homes England Review 2021, Urban Recovery Taskforce 2020-2021, and the New Towns Taskforce 2024-5, created to identify the locations, funding and delivery of a new generation of new towns. She has supported LandAid’s work on youth homelessness for a decade through personal fundraising challenges, and her championing of an initiative where BTR providers offer flats to local youth homelessness charities at heavily discounted rents.

PROFESSOR SARAH LUCINA HACKMAN

She is a global expert who has changed the way that mass fatality events in the UK are investigated, also leading novel research that has seen child sexual abusers brought to justice and removed from society. She designed, implemented and evaluated training programmes in both forensic anthropology and disaster victim identification (DVI), when no such professional approach existed. In 2007, she designed, taught and implemented the first DVI professional training programme, leading to the first ever textbook in DVI and to her becoming a ‘go to’ advisor for Interpol and other global investigative authorities. 

SERENA MARGARET KENNEDY KPM DL

As the first female Chief Constable of her force, she guided it through some of the most challenging periods in its history. Under her leadership, the force retained its HMICFRS position as top performing metropolitan force and ranked 9th overall in England and Wales. Her leadership informed national debate on reforming police communications, and her evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee shaped new government guidance on transparency, now issued to all forces. As the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for Prevention, she focused on reducing harm, offending, and demand through partnership-based problem solving. She led the huge integrity screening project – the largest ever – for the NPCC, and worked with the Home Office to embed a long-term capability for integrity screening to strengthen public trust.

SHELAGH JANE LEGRAVE CBE DL

As Further Education Commissioner she has successfully turned around a number of failing colleges, raising standards and improving efficiency across the whole college sector. By transforming the government’s approach to the FE sector, she has successfully driven higher standards and secured the sector’s financial future. As an advocate for equality and opportunity, she has championed greater diversity in senior leadership through pioneering programmes such as Just One Thing and The Mentoring Scheme which has opened doors for aspiring leaders from under-represented groups.

DR BEVERLY ISADORE LINDSAY OBE DL

She is a transformative leader and philanthropist deeply committed to the Jamaican diaspora and the West Midlands community. She has made impactful contributions across business, public health, education, and social justice, notably as the founding chair of The Association of Jamaican Nationals, which fosters integration and celebrates cultural heritage. A trailblazer in public life, she was the first Afro-Caribbean woman appointed as Deputy Lieutenant (2013) and later Vice Lord-Lieutenant (2017) of the West Midlands, and the first black woman to serve as President of the Birmingham Rotary Club. Leveraging her background and personal experience, she is a mental health pioneer, co-leading conferences to combat stigma. She is also a successful businesswoman, earning the President’s Medal from the West Midlands Chamber of Commerce for her contributions and for mentoring black entrepreneurs. She was awarded the Order of Distinction by the Government of Jamaica in 2008 for services to Jamaica and the Diaspora. 

JESSICA ELIZABETH MORDEN MP

She has dedicated 34 years to public and political service, marked by her pre-eminent contribution to the Labour movement as an organiser, General Secretary of Welsh Labour, and Member of Parliament for Newport East. For two decades, she has been a tireless advocate for her constituents, most notably leading campaigns to protect the local steel industry. Currently serving as the Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party, she is widely respected for her collegiality and kindness, playing a pivotal role in helping to mentor one of the largest intakes of new MPs in history. From contributing to landmark Welsh election victories in 1997, 2001 and 2003 to bridging the gap between backbenchers and Government today, her selfless dedication and hard work have left an enduring influence on both British and Welsh politics.

DR CRYSTAL ELIZABETH OLDMAN CBE

She spent 36 years in the NHS and academia before becoming the Chief Executive of the Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing (QICN). Under her visionary leadership, the QICN underwent a transformation, as she spearheaded the development of field-specific standards for advanced practice, launched leadership programmes for community nurses, and established a national General Practice Nurse network. In 2019, she founded the International Community Nursing Observatory, a pioneering initiative which has become a vital resource for international workforce planning, policy development, and integrated care strategies. She remains affiliated with QICN as a Queen’s Nurse, and has been appointed Trustee of the RCN Foundation and Vice President of the International Home Care Nurses Organisation.

DR HAYAATUN SILLEM CBE 

As the first female Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Engineering, and CEO of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering Foundation, she has redefined the UK engineering landscape with strategic vision and inclusivity. Under her leadership, the Academy doubled in size and vastly extended its impact, including through her co-founding of the Academy Enterprise Hub, now a leading UK startup centre. She has mobilised resources to fund scalable climate-tech solutions and support innovators tackling the climate crisis, and has shaped national policy. She has been a practical and effective advocate for engineering skills and diversity, with a relatable and accessible approach. 

PROFESSOR HEATHER VIVIENNE STEVENS CBE

She is one of the UK’s leading philanthropists and Chair of The Waterloo Foundation, which has donated £165 million (projected to reach £200 million by 2027) across four main areas: environment, children’s neurodevelopment research, international aid, and Welsh causes. Actively involved, she funds high-impact, difficult projects, challenges leaders on issues like palm oil, and co-founded Size of Wales in 2010 to protect over 2 million hectares of rainforest annually. Her commitment to environmental protection is evidenced by her roles on the Boards of Global Fishing Watch and Greenpeace UK Oceans. She also co-founded the Neuro-Development Assessment Unit at Cardiff University. Prior to her full-time philanthropy, she was one of the five founders of the Admiral Group, stepping down in 2004, to run the Foundation.

ANNA KIM TAYLOR OBE

Since receiving an OBE in 2014, she has led a decade of transformative reform in the UK’s food system as the first Executive Director of the Food Foundation since 2015, establishing it as a nationally recognized, policy-shaping institution central to tackling food insecurity and promoting healthy, sustainable diets through evidence-led advocacy. The work led by her and her team, which includes launching the real-time Food Insecurity Tracker in 2020, chairing the End Child Food Poverty Coalition and co-leading the Child Food Poverty Taskforce with Marcus Rashford MBE, has directly informed over 100 parliamentary debates, secured £200 million in government funding to expand holiday clubs, and influenced the Government’s National Food Strategy and subsequent policy as she now serves on Defra’s Food Strategy Advisory Board, while also founding Veg Power and creating a platform for young food activists.

SUMESHNI TRANKA

As Chief Nursing Officer for Wales and Nurse Director of NHS Wales, she provides strategic, professional leadership that strengthens standards, promotes equity, and ensures safe, compassionate and effective care for the population.  She has led policy changes introducing preceptorship and restorative clinical supervision to support the wellbeing of nurses, creating inclusive pathways into the profession, diversifying the workforce and introducing the role of the Nursing Associate in Wales. Across senior roles, including Deputy Chief Nursing Officer for NHS England and Chief Nurse at Ashford & St Peter’s, she has delivered large-scale transformation in patient safety, maternity reform, digital innovation and workforce strategy. She has driven major improvements in women’s health, ensuring specialist endometriosis nurses across Wales, launching the first Women’s Health Plan in 2024, and overseeing Women’s Health Hubs to be operational in 2026. Internationally, she represents Wales in global forums such as the WHO and the International Council of Nurses.

KNIGHTS BACHELOR

PROFESSOR GLEN WARREN BURLEY

He is Group Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation Group (FG) and Deputy Chief Executive for NHSE. Under his leadership the FG has driven improved performance across all four Trusts with the vision of identifying and sharing best practice at pace. He has led by example in being a strong Freedom to Speak Up advocate, leading the development of the Improvement Programs that drive performance across the FG and an advocate for a variety of staff groups. These improvement programmes have led to millions of pounds of savings which has then been reinvested in front line care and safety. He is held in the very highest regard by his contemporaries as evidenced by the HSJ recently voting him Chief Executive of the Year for 2025. 

PROFESSOR CARLOS SILVESTRE FRENK CBE FRS

He is a world-renowned cosmologist, whose contributions to the technique of cosmological supercomputer simulations were pivotal to the development of the Cold Dark Matter theory of the formation of cosmic structure. He continues to be very active in research, publishing 125 journal articles in the past 5 years alone. He co-created the Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics at Durham University and was the founding Director of the Centre’s Institute for Computational Cosmology. The Ogden Centre is one of the prime  institutions in the world for research into the evolution of our Universe and the nature of elementary particles. Carlos initiated a programme of public outreach at Durham, including a yearly summer camp focused on STEM teaching for Ukrainian children who have lost at least one of their parents in the war.

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE DAVID MICHAEL GAUKE 

At the request of the Lord Chancellor, he led a comprehensive, evidence-based examination of sentencing policy designed to identify solutions to the prison capacity crisis. Under his guidance, the Review delivered a landmark set of recommendations that have shaped national debate and informed future legislation that not only aims to reduce the number of people in prison now, but to enhance rehabilitation in a way that introduces long term sustainability into the system. The Review’s proposals have been widely praised by key justice stakeholders and have influenced policy development, with the introduction of the Sentencing Bill into parliament in September 2025, which received Royal Assent on 22 January 2026. 

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE GREGORY WILLIAM HANDS

He has demonstrated exceptional political longevity, serving as a Government Minister for nearly 12 years under five successive Prime Ministers, twice at Cabinet. His ministerial career is defined by high-stakes economic and international achievements, including securing 74 Free Trade Agreements, leading the UK’s entry into the CPTPP and the 2015-20 Government spending review. As Energy Minister, he launched the 2022 Energy Security Strategy in response to the invasion of Ukraine and pioneered the UK’s nuclear renaissance through the Nuclear Energy (Financing) Act. A skilled linguist and former Party Chairman, he played a central role in maintaining government discipline during the Coalition years and strengthening the UK’s diplomatic ties with key global partners like the US and Germany.

ALASTAIR JOHN NAISBITT KING DL

He has driven high-impact initiatives, notably leading the Mansion House Accord to secure a £100 billion commitment to private market initiatives from UK pension providers, and conceiving the Employer Pension Pledge. Highly effective at translating policy into market-credible solutions, he also spearheaded the Scottish Investment Summit and Mansion House scale-up capital events. He earned high acclaim for supporting the defence supply chain and promoting the Armed Forces Covenant across the City, and established the City Belonging initiative for multi-faith dialogue and community engagement. He chaired the British Liver Trust, overseeing a major merger and a national liver health roadshow, while also chairing the London Region of the Institute of Directors and serving as national spokesperson for Financial Services.

PETER DUNCAN FRASER LORD CBE 

A pivotal figure in British animation, he co-founded Aardman Animations with David Sproxton in 1976. As a director/producer, he led the studio to global renown, celebrated for its craftsmanship and British humor, with iconic works including Morph, Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, and the record-breaking Chicken Run. Under his leadership, Aardman earned four Academy Awards, 17 BAFTAs, and over 180 major international awards. A champion of hand-crafted animation, he mentored many who established prominent UK studios. In 2018, he secured Aardman’s legacy by transitioning it to employee ownership. He has also helped The Wallace & Gromit Grand Appeal raise over £90 million for the Bristol Children’s Hospital.

PROFESSOR RICHARD BRABAZON MACRORY CBE KC

He played a key part in the incorporation of environmental law into Halsbury’s Laws of England, marking the formal recognition of the importance of the environment as a body of law in its own right. He was a founding Board member of the Office for Environmental Protection and was instrumental in steering it into a valuable new body for environmental improvement, ensuring that legal expertise was at the forefront. His field-leading work on the enforcement of environmental law has transformed UK and international sanctions. In 2001, he co-founded the Avosetta Group to convene Europe’s most distinguished environmental law academics. He achieved far-reaching, Europe-wide, sustained impact, steering the group to influence the development of environmental law by governments, courts, the EU and other international bodies up to the present.

ANDREW HAROLD MITCHELL CBE FREng

He successfully led the £5 billion Tideway project, delivering the 25km Thames sewage tunnel on time and budget. Cited by the government as an infrastructure model, the project has successfully diverted over 20 million tonnes of effluent to date and focused on workforce well-being, fully employing 25,000 workers on the London Living Wage. His voluntary work includes chairing London Youth Rowing and previously the Construction Leadership Council (2018-22), where he guided the industry through the pandemic using Tideway as the exemplar for the Covid Site Operating Procedures.

PROFESSOR ANDREW DAVID MORRIS CBE FRSE FMedSci

He has been Professor of Medicine and Vice Principal at the University of Edinburgh since 2014. In 2018, he was appointed the inaugural Director of Health Data Research UK, the national institute for health data science, supported by the Medical Research Council and eight other UK funders. Under his leadership, the organisation has led UK-wide research and training to accelerate the trustworthy use of health data to improve the lives of patients and their families, including in dementia, cardiovascular disease and health inequalities. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked unwaveringly as Chair of the Scottish Government Chief Medical Officer’s COVID-19 Advisory Group and as a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), helping to provide advice that enabled vital research on the novel coronavirus during a time of national crisis. He also chairs the Scottish Government Standing Committee on Pandemic Preparedness, advising on future risks and helping to ensure that the nation is as prepared as possible for future public health emergencies. In 2024, he was elected President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, the independent, expert voice of biomedical and health research in the UK. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, which awarded him its Royal Medal in 2021. Alongside his academic and public service roles, he supports several charities and serves as a listening volunteer for the Samaritans in Perth, Scotland.

CHRISTOPHER JOHN MULLIN 

He is a nationally recognised former politician, Minister, journalist, author, and public servant. He served as the Member of Parliament for Sunderland South from 1987 to 2010 and held ministerial roles, including Africa Minister, between 1999 and 2005. A major achievement was his instrumental role in correcting the wrongful convictions of the Guildford Four and the Birmingham Six. He is also an accomplished author, known for the novel A Very British Coup and four volumes of diaries. As well as this, he has contributed to various boards and trusts focused on justice, integrity, environmental conservation, and social progress, including the Prison Reform Trust and the Northumberland National Park Authority.

PROFESSOR STEPHEN THURSTON MUNBY CBE

A globally respected education leader, he has been a transformative force in school leadership, collaboration, and equity, serving as a pivotal voice in national education reform. As Director of Education for Knowsley, he was instrumental in improving outcomes for underachieving white working-class students. Since his CBE in 2010 he contributed to the 2010 White Paper ‘The Importance of Teaching’ and the setting up of Teaching Schools, outstanding schools supporting others through training and development. His work goes beyond the UK, he oversaw the Education Development Trust’s major education initiative in Kenya helping over 81,000 marginalised girls to access, and thrive in, school. His legacy is one of deep impact, innovation, and enduring influence, transforming education systems and empowering leaders. 

KEVIN SINFIELD CBE

He is a highly respected figure in British sport, known for his exceptional leadership as the defining captain of the Leeds Rhinos rugby league golden era, making 521 appearances and earning a BBC Sports Personality of the Year nomination in 2015. Since 2019, his national service has focused on Motor Neurone Disease (MND) advocacy following his friend Rob Burrow’s diagnosis. Through extraordinary endurance challenges, including completing seven ultramarathons in seven days in December 2025 to raise over £1.2 million, he has raised a total of £11 million for MND charities since 2020. This fundraising culminated in the opening of the world-leading Rob Burrow Centre for MND in November 2025, a permanent legacy that has profoundly elevated national awareness and funding for the disease.

DAVID SPROXTON CBE

A pivotal figure in British animation, the co-founder, with Peter Lord, of Aardman Animations in Bristol in 1976. As Aardman’s first Managing Director and a key producer, he was instrumental in building the studio into a globally renowned, creative institution, winning four Academy awards and over 180 major international awards. With internationally loved franchises like Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run, Shaun the Sheep, and Creature Comforts, Aardman’s films have generated over $1 billion worldwide, with over £400 million invested into British productions. His leadership maintained the studio’s independence and British identity by transitioning it to an employee-owned business in 2018. To champion the next generation of animators the studio established the Aardman Academy.  He has made significant public-service contributions within the creative industries and, as a patron of The Grand Appeal, supported the charity in raising over £90 million for the Bristol Children’s Hospital.

PROFESSOR PATRICK PHILLIP VERNON OBE 

He is a leading campaigner tackling health inequalities and social justice. With over 30 years of experience, he led the successful campaign for 22 June to be recognised as Windrush Day and convened the Windrush 75 Network to mark the 75th anniversary in 2023. His advocacy includes co-authoring 100 Great Black Britons and co-establishing the Majonzi Fund in 2020 to support communities affected by COVID-19. He is a former Chair of NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board, and the Action for Race Equality’s Windrush Justice Programme. Patrick is Pro-Chancellor at the University of Wolverhampton and Chair of Hackney Thinking Spaces.