Many people from the North East have received honours in The King’s New Year Honours List 2025.
The Cabinet Office has today published the honours list which celebrates people who have made outstanding contributions to the community or in their field of work. A number of recipients have been recognised for their efforts for charities and “selfless giving”.
Awards, including MBEs, CBEs, OBEs and BEMs, are being handed to community champions in areas including Northumberland, County Durham and Tyne and Wear. Below, we have provided the full list for the North East, with names of recipients, alongside details of their award.
County Durham
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
Amanda Sonia Berry OBE. Lately Chief Executive Officer, BAFTA. For services to the Creative Industries and to Charity. (London, Greater London, born in Darlington)
Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Patricia Ann Brittain. Retail Volunteer, Royal Voluntary Service James Cook Hospital. For Charitable Services. (Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham)
Judith Barbara Hartley. Lately Chief Executive Officer, British Business Investments. For services to Business. (Durham, County Durham)
Calvin Kipling. Head, Virtual School, Darlington Borough Council. For services to Education. (Ferryhill, County Durham)
Toni Spoors. Deputy Chief Executive Officer, North East Learning Trust. For services to Education. (Hartlepool, County Durham)
Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)
Lucy Victoria Brenkley. Active Forest Coordinator, Forestry England. For services to Forestry. (Barnard Castle, County Durham)
Matthew Gleaves. Senior Executive Officer, Department for Education. For services to People with Disabilities in Sport. (Darlington, County Durham)
Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
John Arthur Evans. Executive Chair, Beanies the Flavour Company, based in Darlington. For services to Entrepreneurship. (Northallerton, North Yorkshire)
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Northumberland
Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Dr Mohamed Raouf Abdul Karim Al-Kattan FREng. Founder, Safinah Ltd., and Member, Board of Directors, I-Tech AB. For services to Marine Engineering. (Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland)
Professor Margaret Anne Defeyter. Professor of Developmental Psychology and Director of the Healthy Living Lab, Northumbria University. For services to Education. (Blyth, Northumberland)
Sarah Jane Green. Chief Executive Officer, NewcastleGateshead Initiative. For services to Tourism. (Alnwick, Northumberland)
Kevin Whately. Actor. For services to Drama and to Charity. (Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, born in Northumberland)
Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Mark George Alexander. Higher Executive Officer, Department for Work and Pensions. For services to Promoting Socio-Economic Diversity. (Morpeth, Northumberland)
Professor Alison Pamela Murdoch. Lately President, British Fertility Society. For services to Fertility Treatment. (Wylam, Northumberland)
Janice Rose. Lately Head of Economy and Regeneration, Northumberland County Council. For services to Heritage and to Local Government. (Morpeth, Northumberland)
Lesley Anne Scott. Founder, Dog Meat Trade Dachshund Rescue and Support Group. For Charitable Services. (Cramlington, Northumberland)
Karon Eileen Elizabeth Wright. Founder and Artistic Director, Samling Institute. For services to Music. (Hexham, Northumberland)
Tyne and Wear
Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Christopher David Head. Campaigner for Subpostmasters. For services to Justice. (Boldon Colliery, Tyne and Wear)
Caroline Erica O’Neill. Children’s Improvement Adviser, Local Government Associations. For services to Education. (Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear)
Professor Elizabeth Sarah Todd. Professor, Educational Inclusion, Newcastle University. For services to Education and to Young People. (Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear)
Susan Christine Waterson. Head of Investment, North of England, Department for Business and Trade. For services to Trade and Investment in the North of England. (Wetherby, West Yorkshire)
Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Graham Carlisle. Foster Carer, Sunderland Local Authority. For services to Foster Care. (Houghton le Spring, Tyne and Wear)
Jayne Carlisle. Foster Carer, Sunderland Local Authority. For services to Foster Care. (Houghton le Spring, Tyne and Wear)
Nichole Garner. Early Years Manager, North Tyneside Council, North Tyneside. For services to Children and Families. (Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear)
Madeline Howard. Manager, Sage UK. For services to Cyber Security. (Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear)
Margaret Kirby. Solicitor and Founder, Legacare. For services to the Law and to Vulnerable People. (Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear)
Sirkka-Liisa Roberts (Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen). Photographer. For services to Photography. (North Shields, Tyne and Wear)
Leslie Scott. Lately Councillor, Sunderland City Council. For Political and Public Service. (Sunderland, Tyne and Wear)
Douglas Whiteley Smith. For services to the community in Sunderland. (Sunderland, Tyne and Wear)
Joanne Smith. Founder and Chief Executive, Fighting All Cancers Together. For services to People Affected by Cancer in the North East of England. (Gateshead, Tyne and Wear)
Ian Michael Thomas. Director, NewcastleGateshead Initiative. For services to Tourism. (Gateshead, Tyne and Wear)
Joeli Brearley. Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Pregnant Then Screwed. For services to Working Families. (York, North Yorkshire, lived and worked in Newcastle for a number of years)
Penelope Emeline Heather Jacqueline Watson. Dementia Campaigner. For services to Dementia Care in Football. (Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, wife of Sunderland 1973 FA Cup winning player Dave Watson)
Captain Daniel Henderson from Blaydon, serving with The Royal regiment of Fusiliers
Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)
Susan Jean Mountain. Campaigner. For services to Public Health and Supporting People to Give Up Smoking. (South Shields, Tyne and Wear)
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
Anne Reid MBE. Actor. For services to Drama. (London, Greater London, born in Jesmond, Newcastle)
Surgeon Commodore Professor Jason Smith. Lives in Plymouth but was brought up in Newcastle.
Here are all the stories we have published on King Charles’ New Year Honours for 2025: