All the Lancashire people honoured in King Charles' New Year's Honours list 2023

Lancashire and England rugby legend Sir Bill Beaumont has been awarded the Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire in the King’s New Year Birthday Honours. The 71-year-old, who hails originally from Chorley, was knighted for his services to rugby union by the late Queen Elizabeth five years ago and says the new honour is was totally unexpected and makes him incredibly proud.

"It’s the highest honour there is and I would never have remotely imagined when I started out with Fylde Rugby Club in 1969 that I would ever be awarded anything like this,” said Sir Bill. “I didn’t expect anything and never set out for such recognition – I just enjoyed my rugby and I love the game and all the great friends and experiences it has brought me. "It has taken me around the world but the place I feel really at home is Fylde Rugby Club. "There are so many great volunteers who play a key part there and we are so well off in this part of the world for volunteer services in so many clubs and organisations. "I’m grateful to everyone at the club, in the game and to my wife Hilary and the family for their support.” A Knight/Dame Grand Cross is the highest rank in The Most Excellent Order of The British Empire. It is a very rarely awarded and well known individuals who have been awarded the Knight Grand Cross include Sir David Attenborough. Sir Bill, who won 34 caps for England and captained England to their unexpected 1980 Grand Slam win, was chairman of the Rugby Football Union from 2012 to 2016 and later chairman of World Rugby. Before being knighted in 2019, he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2008, having previously been awarded an OBE. Meanwhile, a  senior council officer who has played a key role in Blackpool’s regeneration, is also among the Lancashire recipients of honours in the King Charles III’s New Year list.

Antony Lockley, director of strategy and assistant chief executive at Blackpool Council, has been recognised with an OBE for services to local government. He has taken a leading role in developing Blackpool’s Levelling Up pilot partnership with the government over the past two years, attracting more than £100m in regeneration funding. Since 2015, Mr Lockley has led Blackpool’s vision, attracting investment for projects including the £30m Winter Gardens Conference and Exhibition Centre, £65m multiversity, and the £100m civil service hub currently under construction in the town centre. He said: “I work with so many fantastic staff, elected members and partners who deserve this honour at least as much as me. “Being able to play a role in the regeneration of Blackpool has been the highlight of my career so far.”

Alasdair Jackson, chief executive of Recycling Lives Charity, based at Chorley, is awarded an OBE for  services to the rehabilitation of offenders. Mr Jackson has held that role since October 2018 and has also chaired the Employment Advisory Board at Preston Prison since April 2022. Recycling Lives aims to reduce homelessness and reoffending by supporting men and women into stable housing and sustainable employment. Lynn Cummings, a justice of the peace from Preston who is commercial category lead for the Government’s Department for Work and Pensions, is awarded the OBE for public service.

Barbara Hilary Manning, from Poulton, lately head of payments, banking and shared services for the Department for Work and Pensions, is awarded the CBE for services to the public and to the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. A CBE also goes to Andrew James Bell of Ormskirk, lately co-founder and chief executive officer of AJ Bell plc, which provides online investment platforms and stockbroker services, for services to the financial sector.

Christine Kenyon, Manchester College’s former Deputy Principal who started her career as a part-time lecturer at Blackpool and The Fylde College, has received an MBE for Services to Further Education. She started her career at Blackpool and The Fylde College in 1989, while also running a mobile hairdressing business, in 1996 Christine was appointed Curriculum Manager for Hairdressing, which she led to becoming the first hairdressing department in the country to receive an Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ rating. Christine said: “I am privileged to have worked alongside so many wonderful people and feel that I am accepting this award on behalf of them all.” MBEs also go to Keith Alan Ashcroft, from Preston, lately area director for the  Environment Agency, for services to the environment;  Dr Simon Jonathon Grant from Preston, technical director of chemical manufacturing company Thomas Swan, for services to diversity in the chemical industry; Catherine Penny from Preston, for services to Plant Heritage and to the community in North Preston;  Andrew Geoffrey Pollock, from Poulton, founder of credit union CLEVR Money, for services to Financial Inclusion; Yvonne Frances Rawsthorne from Preston, Operational Readiness Senior Officer, HM Revenue and Customs, for public service.; Elaine Linda Robinson from Blackpool, founder member, parents of Oldham InTouch and Oldham Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Support Service, For services to children with special educational needs and disabilities; Carolene Euleata Sargeant (Carolene Hinds), from Blackpool, independent performing arts professional, for services to dance; David Short JP, from Lytham St Annes, lately group technology director, BAE Systems, for services to military capability and Nirmal Singh from Preston, chaplain, North West Prisons, HM Prison and Probation Service, for services to community development and interfaith integration. Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)  Bernard Vause, 83, from Morecambe, president of Morecambe Brass Band Association and a member of the band for 50 years in 2024, is awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to music and to the community in Morecambe.

He said: “It’s wonderful to be involved with the band and bringing joy to the community." BEMs also go to Eileen Hagan from Blackpool, a  volunteer with Blackpool Support Adult Services Unit Scouts Movement, for services to young people and to the community in Blackpool and to Russell Mark Walters, from Lytham St Annes, director Cardiff Cymru and Careline Co-ordinator, Care for the Family, for voluntary service in Wales. Ian John Dawson, lately assistant chief constable, Lancashire Constabulary is awarded the King’s Police Medal.

Travis Dylan Frain. Campaigner was honoured with an OBE for services to Counter Extremism and to Victims of Terrorism. (Lancashire).

Mr Frain was hit by a car driven by Khalid Masood on London’s Westminster Bridge in March 2017. Mr Frain, 25, of Darwen – who says “not a day goes by when I do not think about it (the attack)” – has been honoured for services to counter-extremism and to victims of terrorism. He said: “The simple fact is that the state can and should be doing more. I think in many ways this honour is a recognition of the countless late nights chipping away behind the scenes to try and lobby the Government for change. “My only hope is that with this honour I am able to continue to drive home that message to get changes that are needed.” Masood, a British-born convert to Islam, drove along a pavement on Westminster Bridge, killing four pedestrians, and then stabbed a police officer to death outside Parliament. The attacker was shot dead at the scene. Lives were torn apart by “82 seconds of high and terrible drama” in the attack, an inquest into the deaths was told. Mr Frain told the PA news agency: “If I am going to think about the incident – and I will remember it for many, many years to come – I want to be able to look back with not just the negativity of what happened that day and the impact it had on me and my family. “I want to look back with a sense of pride and to know I have done everything in the years since then to make something positive out of something so negative, to try and help other people who have been affected by terrorism but also to try and prevent future attacks.” This has included campaigning for the rights of terror victims to improved support from the state while also trying to prevent future attacks.

Mr Frain campaigned for a plaque to be installed on Westminster Bridge in memory of those affected, goes into schools and colleges to share his experience and has run educational workshops. He created the Resilience in Unity Project in 2021, which records the testimonies of people affected by terror attacks in a bid to prevent people being radicalised. He is also a member of the advisory boards of Counter Terrorism Policing and charities including the National Emergencies Trust. Mr Frain was a politics and history student on a trip Whitehall when he was stuck by the car driven by Masood. Mr Frain, who was closest to the road, took the brunt of the impact. “I went over the bonnet and hit the windshield. I was thrown into the air before landing back down on the concrete,” he said. His left leg was fractured in two places and metal and glass from the car caused a deep laceration in his leg, missing an artery by about an inch. All four fingers on his left hand were broken and he had a range of cuts, bruises and other minor injuries across his body. He spent eight days in hospital and had two operations, and one of his visitors was the King, who was then the Prince of Wales. Mr Frain described himself as “immensely proud and humbled” by the OBE which he hopes may “shine a light” on the dedication of thousands of people around the country trying to counter violence and extremism. Other Lancashire folk honoured include:               

Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)     

Andrew James Bell. Lately Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, AJ Bell plc. For services to the Financial Sector. (Ormskirk, Lancashire)                           

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)           

John Norris. Chair, B&M Longworth (Edgworth) Ltd. For services to Innovation, to Sustainability and to International Trade. (Burnley, Lancashire)        

Imran Adam Patel. For services to the community in Blackburn, Lancashire. (Blackburn, Lancashire)           

Patricia Mary Rogers. Co-Founder, Every Action Has Consequences. For services to Young People. (Blackburn, Lancashire)           

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)         

Waqas Arshad. Chair, Bradley Big Local. For services to Families with Mental Health Issues in Lancashire. (Nelson, Lancashire)           

John Fielding. Scout Leader, 2nd Rishton Baptist Scout Group, Lancashire. For services to Young People and to the community in Lancashire. (Accrington, Lancashire)