As captain of the England women’s national team, Leah Williamson has become a household name and an inspirational figure for young athletes nationwide.

Emma O’Neill Content Editor

22:30, 29 Dec 2025

(Image: PA)

Hertfordshire has a strong presence in this year’s King’s New Year Honours, with individuals recognised for outstanding contributions to sport, public service, charity, education, and the arts.

The list highlights both high-profile figures and local leaders whose work has a meaningful impact across the county and beyond.

At the forefront is Leah Williamson OBE, honoured with a CBE for services to association football. As captain of the England women’s national team, Williamson has become a household name and an inspirational figure for young athletes nationwide.

Football leadership is further represented by Daniel Levy, recently awarded a CBE for services to charity and community engagement. The Tottenham Hotspur chairman is recognised for his charitable work alongside his high-profile role in professional football, reflecting Hertfordshire’s contribution to both sport and civic life.

The Hertfordshire list also celebrates professionals in public service, health, education, and charity. From senior leaders in the Ministry of Defence and Barnardo’s to founders of charitable initiatives like Musicians Against Homelessness, these honourees demonstrate the county’s wide-ranging impact on local and national communities.

Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

  • Samantha Louise Des Forges. Director, Conduct, Equity and Justice, Ministry of Defence. For services to Equity and Justice in Defence. (St Albans, Hertfordshire)
  • Dr Luisa Maria Freitas Dos Santos FREng. Vice-President, Global Clinical Supply Chain, GlaxoSmithKline. For services to Pharmaceutical Engineering. (Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire)
  • Professor David Thomas Kemp FRS. Emeritus Professor of Auditory Biophysics, University College London. For services to Auditory Sciences and Public Health. (Hatfield, Hertfordshire)
  • Daniel Philip Levy. Lately Chair, Tottenham Hotspur. For services to Charity and the community in Tottenham. (Potters Bar, Hertfordshire)
  • Leah Cathrine Williamson OBE. For services to Association Football. (St Albans, Hertfordshire)

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

  • Debbie Elizabeth Bartlett. Lately Deputy Director, Protect and Prepare, Home Office. For Public Service. (Broxbourne, Hertfordshire)
  • Rukshana Kapasi. Director of Health, Barnardo ‘s. For services to Transforming Care, to Health Equity and to the Patient Voice. (St Albans, Hertfordshire)
  • The Hon. Paavan Popat. Chief Executive, TLC Care. For services to Intergenerational Housing. (Bushey, Hertfordshire)
  • Dr Aderonke Matilda Adebiren Savage. Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Jomas Associates Ltd. For services to Young People, to Business and to the Construction Industry. (Radlett, Hertfordshire)
  • Sarah Louise Williams-Gardener. Chair, FinTech Wales and lately Chair, the Western Gateway Partnership. For services to the Development of the UK Financial Services Ecosystem, Regional Economic Growth and to Charity. (Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire)

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

  • Judith Lesley Charlesworth. Lately Chair, Barnet Special Education Trust, London. For services to Education. (Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire)
  • Reginald Kenneth East. Foster Carer, Hertfordshire Council, Hertfordshire. For services to Foster Care. (Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire)
  • Michael Charles French. Head of Games, Film London and Festival Director, London Games Festival. For services to the Games Industry, to Inclusion and to Charity. (Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire)
  • David Thomas Gurney. Lately Film Laboratory Lead, British Film Institute. For services to Cinema and Heritage. (Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire)
  • Peter David Hunt. For Parliamentary and Political Services. (Harpenden, Hertfordshire)
  • Michael Henry Marx. Trustee Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. For services to Holocaust Remembrance and Education. (Bushey, Hertfordshire)
  • Dr Tanya Moore. Principal Social Worker, Essex County Council. For services to Social Work. (St Albans, Hertfordshire)
  • Steven Ronald Munkley. Vice-President, Craft Guild of Chefs. For services to the Hospitality Industry and to Young People. (Borehamwood, Hertfordshire)
  • Elizabeth Emma Campbell Prescott. Specialist Nurse for Thalassaemia, Whittington Health NHS Trust. For services to People Living with Thalassaemia Syndrome. (St Albans, Hertfordshire)
  • Emma Louise Rule. Founder, Musicians Against Homelessness. For Charitable Service to Homeless People and to Aspiring Musicians. (Royston, Hertfordshire)

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

  • Alun James Clements. Volunteer, Imperial War Museum Duxford. For Voluntary Service. (Ware, Hertfordshire)
  • Donna-Marie Inwood. Chair, Leecliffe Big Local. For services to the community in Leecliffe, Borehamwood. (Borehamwood, Hertfordshire)

Kings Police Medal (KPM)

  • Justine Keely Jenkins. lately, Detective Inspector, Hertfordshire Police. (Hertfordshire)