New Year’s Honours List 2024: Every person in Liverpool and Merseyside to be recognised by King Charles

The New Year Honours List for 2024 has been revealed, celebrating the incredible public service of individuals from across the UK.

Recipients in King Charles’ New Year Honours List have been awarded for their outstanding contributions to areas including sustained public service, the arts, youth engagement and community work.

The honours system strives to be inclusive of all of the UK society and of the 1,227 people on the main list who received an award, 48 per cent are women, and 13.8 per cent come from an ethnic minority background.

Amongst those receiving honours are fantastic Merseyside people, recognised for their contributions to society, including Wirral's very own Bake Off legend, Paul Hollywood, who has been awarded an MBE.

England goalkeeper Mary Earps, Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis and Game of Thrones actor Emilia Clarke are among the stars of sport, stage and screen recognised in the 2024 New Year Honours list, while the Archbishop of Canterbury leads those rewarded for their work on the King’s coronation.

Singer Dame Shirley Bassey, who has sold more than 135 million records, has been made Companion of Honour for her services to music, becoming the 64th living member of the order which can only have 65 members at any one time.

Other notable names in the list include England cricketer Stuart Broad, who has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) following his retirement; singer Leona Lewis, who becomes an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE); and author Kate Mosse, who has also been made a CBE.

Elsewhere, Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) alongside her mother Jenny as co-founders of SameYou, a brain injury recovery charity they established after she survived two brain haemorrhages.

It isn't all celebrities though, with several 'ordinary' folk from Merseyside, recognised for their extraordinary contributions to society.

Merseyside People

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

• Heather Margaret Patricia Akehurst. Chief Executive, Open Awards - for services to Further Education in Merseyside.
• Dr Christopher Paul Johnson. Forensic Pathologist, Home Office - for services to Criminal Justice. 
• Professor Simon Edward Kenny. National Clinical Director for Children and Young People, NHS England and Consultant Paediatric Surgeon, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital - for services to Paediatric Surgery.

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

• Paul Hollywood. Baker and Television Presenter - for services to Baking and to Broadcasting.
• Thomas Stewart Bosworth - for services to Race Walking. 
• Rev. Canon Dr Crispin Alexander Pailing. Member, Merseyside Resilience Forum and Safety Advisory Group - for services to the community in Liverpool, Merseyside.
• Michael George Eakin. Chief Executive, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic - for services to Music and to the community in Liverpool.
• Donna Marie Dawber. News and Campaigns Manager, Merseyside Police - for services to Law and Order. 
• Elizabeth Ann Hawkins - for services to Young People and to the community in Wirral.
• Professor Saye Hock Khoo. Professor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Liverpool. - for services to Infectious Diseases and Pharmacology.

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

• Norah Button-Brookwell. Founder and Principal, Liverpool Theatre School - for services to Dance and Theatre.
• Pauline Higgins. - for services to the community in Liverpool, Merseyside.
• Dr Catherine Marian Hubbert. Macmillan General Practitioner and Founder, Woodlands Hospice Charitable Trust - for services to Palliative Care.
• Amanda Jayne Lear. Enforcement Case Manager, Department for Work and Pensions - for services to the community in Moreton, Merseyside.
• Joan Prescott. - for services to Young People and to the community in Melling, Merseyside.                     

 King's Police Medal (KPM)     

• Andrew James Duignan. lately Detective Constable, Merseyside Police.
• Laura Catherine Elizabeth Hart. Special Chief Inspector, Merseyside Police.

• Phillip Garrigan O.B.E. Chief Fire Officer, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.