The Manchester Evening News has spoken to some of the recipients of the prestigious royal honours about their inspiring stories
David (L) and Suzan Tomlinson have been awarded the BEM (Medalist of the Order of the British Empire) for their service to the community.(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
While celebrities, soap stars and sporting heroes often grab the headlines, the King’s New Year Honours list always recognised local community champions too. This year is no exception with many incredible people from Greater Manchester receiving an honour.
This year’s list includes an imam from Altrincham recognised for his interfaith work, a firefighter who founded a boxing club in Moss Side and a reverend who transformed a children’s hospice in south Manchester. The list also features politicians and public officials, including Manchester council leader Bev Craig as well as a number of NHS bosses and senior civil servants.
The Manchester Evening News has spoken to some of the recipients of the prestigious honours which are awarded by King Charles III. They have shared their inspiring stories, how they got to where they are today and what it means to be recognised for their work.
David and Suzan Tomlinson, from Wythenshawe, have both been awarded a BEM (Member of the order of the British Empire) for their service to the community. Together, they co-founded Acting on Impulse, a charity which endeavours to give homeless people and those marginalised in society, an opportunity to be in the spotlight.
Born out of their daughter’s idea, they have helped hundreds of actors with self-confidence, encouraged their creativity and supported them through truly life-changing experiences. Sue said: “It started as a one off project.
“Our daughter, Lauren Pouchly, went out on to the streets of Manchester with some friends and a soup kitchen. She got speaking to homeless people and she was very struck by the fact that they were into acting and were interested in it.
“She came back and wrote a script for a film, but instead of using her drama school friends, she asked those people, and they became involved. We got a professional production company involved, we put on workshops, and we shot the film. At the end we had a film premier, which our actors went to, and they said to us: “what are we doing next?” That was 18 years ago.”
“Seeing how people can grow is amazing. Some of our actors have moved onto other agencies now.”
David and Suzan are from Wythenshawe(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
Of receiving the honour itself, she said: “It was just a total shock. We opened the envelope, saw it said Cabinet Officer and thought ‘it can’t be a parking ticket’. We feel an immense honour, not just for us but for our actors, the creatives, and the volunteer sector.”
David said: “It has been an amazing journey, seeing the impact this has had on people. It was a very sad day when we decided we really had to give it up. It has been an incredible journey over the last 18 years. We’ve been to film festivals, our most recent documentary won an award at the film festival in Soho. Our films are getting some acclaim in the film world.”
He said that despite the charity coming to an end, the remaining funds have been donated to other charities involved in the performing arts.
A lot of the actors come from across Greater Manchester, and keep in touch with David and Sue.
“To see them have this desire for acting, for me, is the most fulfilling thing. To see them with the self confidence, creation and imagination after our workshops, it’s incredible,” he added.
Dr Nasser Kurdy has received an MBE(Image: STEVE ALLEN)
Dr Nasser Kurdy, a lay imam and orthopaedic surgeon from Altrincham, is also among those to be recognised in the New Years Honours list. Originally from Syria, the 66-year-old has received an MBE for services Community Interfaith Reconciliation.
It comes eight years after he was stabbed in the neck outside his mosque in Hale a few months after the Manchester Arena attack. Just one day after the unprovoked hate crime, Dr Kurdy declared that he had forgiven his attacker who was jailed the following year.
Reflecting on the incident years later, he says that he did not appreciate the significance of what he said at the time. Having already been involved in various interfaith activities in Altrincham for some time, Dr Kurdy says that the stabbing spurred him on to do more.
More recently, the lay imam has been working with Rabbi Dovid Lewis, visiting schools to promote dialogue between different communities amid the war in Gaza. “The feelings on both sides are really very raw,” he says of the Jewish and Muslim communities.
“It’s not something you’re expecting or working towards,” he says of his MBE. “It’s also an impetus that you have to carry on. It gives you that boost.”
Nigel Travis helped set up Moss Side Fire Station Boxing Club(Image: Joel Goodman)
Firefighter Nigel Travis from Salford has received the same honour for services to boxing and the community in Moss Side. Along with two colleagues from the fire service, Mr Travis helped set up the Moss Side Fire Station Boxing club in 2008.
“The idea to engage with kids who were throwing stones at the fire service or hostile to the firefighters,” he told the M.E.N..
“It expanded and grew and grew and grew. Now we’re trying to save the world.
The 53-year-old, whose father was also a boxer, coaches and mentors young people from the local area, helping them to improve their fitness, build resilience and gain life skills. It’s now a full-time job for Mr Travis who is ‘elated’ by the honour.
“I feel very proud and a little bit unworthy of it if I’m honest,” he says of his MBE. “My father has done this for 65 years.
“He’s my role model and the person I aspire to be, while I’ve been more high profile because of where we are and the successes we’ve had.
“I’m genuinely elated. I feel privileged that I’m able to work with these kids.”
The Reverend David Ireland, former chief executive of Francis House
The Reverend David Ireland from Oldham also features on the honours list as a Medallist of the Order of the British Empire (BEM). The former chief executive of Francis House Children’s Hospice who recently retired has dedicated his award to the staff working there.
The 69-year-old who lives in Dobcross first became involved in the hospice in 1986, before he was ordained around nine years later. He was the architect for the site in Didsbury and later became a trustee before being asked to become the chief executive in 2005.
Since then the hospice has gone from having 38 staff, supporting around 130 families, to around 120 staff with 550 families supported. Under his leadership, the hospice became internationally recognised with Rev Ireland still helping to set up children’s hospices abroad.
“I think it’s a great thing for Francis House as a whole,” he said of his honour for services to children’s hospices.
“It’s something I’ve been involved with for 35 years and the staff are very dedicated. I think it’s something for everybody.”
Manchester council leader Bev Craig has received an OBE(Image: Manchester City Council)
Manchester council leader Bev Craig is also among those to receive an honour from the King. The Labour politician, who was born in Northern Ireland, has been working in local government ever since she graduated from the University of Manchester.
First elected to public office as a councillor in the Burnage ward in 2011, she has held several roles at Manchester council, including leading on adult social care and health through the Covid-19 global pandemic. She later served as Deputy Leader.
Now aged 40, she became the leader of Manchester council in December 2021, taking over from Sir Richard Leese who held the role for a quarter of a century. She also holds the economy brief at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority while at a national level she is the vice-chair of the Local Government Association and Leader of the association’s Labour Group.
“It is a genuine privilege to be recognised in the New Years honours list for doing something that I love – trying to make our city a better place to grow up and get on,” she said of her OBE for services to local government.
“It’s humbling to be singled out but our city is made great by the power of our communities, residents who volunteer, charities who lift people up, public servants who keep our city running, and businesses who give back.
“So I want to take this opportunity to say thank you, to everyone who makes our city great. Working together we can make Manchester and even better place to live in 2026.”
Kathy Cowell OBE DL
Kathy Cowell OBE DL, Chair of Manchester University NHS FT (MFT), has been honoured as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to the NHS. A banker by profession, Kathy has held several Chair and Non-Executive Director roles in the NHS, including Chair of Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS FT, prior to the merger with University Hospital of South Manchester NHS FT to form MFT in 2017.
Key moments of her career included leading the merger to create MFT as the largest trust in the country, supporting staff in the aftermath of the Manchester Arena attack, and helping form partnerships which have seen the trust consolidate its role as a leading organisation for research and innovation.
Kathy said: “It is a great privilege to serve our diverse communities in Manchester, Trafford and beyond. I have been blessed to work with incredible people throughout my time in the NHS, all committed to improving patient care.
“This honour is testament to everything we have achieved together over the years, including the work of our amazing volunteers.”
Transport Commissioner Vernon Everitt(Image: TfGM)
Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, Vernon Everitt, has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). As Transport Commissioner and Chair of Transport for Greater Manchester’s Executive Board, Vernon has played a pivotal role in the delivery of major transport improvements for the city region’s communities.
Advising Mayor Andy Burnham and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, he has led the development and delivery of the Bee Network – the city region’s joined-up public transport system bringing together buses, trams, and trains with better customer service, fares and ticketing and modern data analytics.
He’s done so during a period of rapid change and many ‘firsts’, including massive improvements to bus services as part of bringing them back under local control. He previously worked at Transport for London and is currently the chair of Transport for Wales.
Mr Everitt said: “I want to thank the Mayor, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Transport for Greater Manchester for allowing me to be part of the Bee Network journey.
“While there’s much still to do to for the people and businesses of the region, real progress has been made thanks to the vision of local leaders and the hard work of TfGM and Manchester’s districts, transport workers and industry partners. I look forward to working with them in the period ahead to complete the job.”
Jackie Hanson has received an MBE
Jackie Hanson, former Joint Regional Chief Nurse for NHS England in the North West, and currently a Non-Executive Director at Manchester University NHS FT, was a stalwart figure in the regional team for many years.
Jackie provided outstanding leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, was instrumental in driving the establishment of the North West antiracism programme and was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the nursing profession and health services leadership.
Jackie said: “I am deeply honoured and proud to receive this award that has been given in recognition of my leadership contribution to nursing and health services.
“I have been enormously privileged to work alongside dedicated, hardworking and compassionate staff who have strived to improve the quality of health care services for communities and patients within the North West.”
“I dedicate this award to all of them and thank them for their support and guidance throughout my career.”
Dr Maeve Keaney is also on the honours list
Dr Maeve Keaney, former Consultant Microbiologist at Salford Royal Hospital, was also awarded an MBE for services to Refugee Doctors in Greater Manchester.
In 2003, Maeve founded the Refugee and Asylum Seekers Centre for Healthcare Professionals Education (REACHE) project, a pioneering programme that has supported hundreds of refugee and asylum seeker doctors and nurses to regain their professional qualifications and return to clinical practice in the NHS.
Since then, REACHE has supported over 700 displaced healthcare professionals, many joining the NHS, strengthening local healthcare economies, workforce capacity and patient care.
Through sustained civic and system partnerships at Northern Care Alliance NHS FT, Maeve established a model that translates untapped clinical expertise into long-term value for the NHS.
Dr Keaney said: “I am so honoured and happy to receive this. However, this award is the result of all the hard work of the REACHE team and members, and also all those in the NHS who helped to found REACHE and also all the volunteers who helped it to succeed. I see myself as accepting it on their behalf as recognition of all their efforts.”
Simon Walsh has been recognised with a BEM
Simon Walsh, Procurement Director for Manchester University NHS FT and Joint Greater Manchester Procurement Lead, has been recognised with a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to the NHS and charity.
Simon has worked in NHS procurement services since 1987 and has led the procurement team of MFT and its predecessors since 2003. He is formerly Chair of the Health Care Supply Association, the representative charity for NHS procurement staff, and has contributed to procurement policy development at regional and national levels.
Simon said: “It has been immensely rewarding to lead the procurement team at MFT and, with the support of the trust, to develop a unique range of services to wards, theatres, and departments. I am both humbled and proud to receive this recognition.”
DCS John Chadwick
Jonathan Miles Chadwick, a Detective Chief Superintendent at Greater Manchester Police has been recognised with a King’s Police Medal. His nomination highlighted his ‘exceptional’ contribution to the field of disaster victim identification
DCS Chadwick said: “To be recognised in this way is a real honour and privilege for me. I’ve worked at GMP for 32 years and have been lucky enough to be a detective for 29 of them.
“I think that death is the most important thing we deal with in policing. You have to get it right for families and loved ones as they never forget such traumatic times whether people have died as a result of murder, accident, suicide or terror.
“I have the best job in the force, so to be awarded the KPM for doing something I love doing feels extremely fortunate and somewhat surreal. I am seldom moved by anything in life, but this is something that will always mean a great deal to me and my family – and I will be popular with my children for a short time if they get to go to Buckingham Palace!”