5 Warringtonians recognised in Queen’s New Year Honours

The honours system recognises people who have ‘made achievements in public life’ and ‘committed themselves to serving and helping Britain’.

A group of 10 independent honours committees, each covering a specialist subject area such as sport or health, consider nominations.

The recommendations of these groups of independent experts and senior civil servants are passed on to the Prime Minister, and ultimately The Queen for approval.

Here are the five Warringtonians who are being honoured this New Year:

Kevin McGee, joint chief executive of East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, for services to the NHS – OBE

Kevin, who is from Warrington, has worked at director level in the NHS for more than 20 years.

He has a specific background in finance, but he has also undertaken roles as chief operating officer and in commissioning and performance management.

Speaking about his OBE, Kevin said: “It is a huge honour to have received the Order of the British Empire and to be named alongside so many inspiring individuals, many of whom work for the NHS.

“I am very privileged to have had a varied and extensive career within the health care system, but the biggest reward is being able to work with so many amazing staff and partners who are dedicated to ensuring that we provide the very best health care services for the local populations of Lancashire and south Cumbria particularly during this pandemic.”

Professor Ebrahim Adia, chair at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, commented: “On behalf of everyone at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, I would like to wholeheartedly congratulate Kevin on receiving an OBE – this is a significant achievement and thoroughly deserved.

“Kevin has been and continues to be an exemplary health care leader, and I would like to thank him for all he has done to improve the health care system across Lancashire to benefit our local communities.”

Professor Eileen Fairhurst, chair of East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, added: “I am so pleased that Kevin is to receive an OBE in The Queen’s New Year honours list.

“Kevin has dedicated significant energy and focus to the NHS at executive level in some of the most challenged organisations for more than two decades.

Kevin McGee

“He has made the most enormous difference to the quality of services, safety and patient experience.

“On behalf of all of us at ELHT, I want to congratulate Kevin on this well-deserved honour.

“It is wonderful to see his commitment to improving patient care and his compassionate and conscientious leadership being recognised in this way.”

Amanda Nicholson, chief executive officer for King's Academy Trust and executive principal of Oakwood Academy in Manchester, for services to education – OBE

Amanda, who lives with her husband Keith and two daughters Jessica and Beth in Great Sankey, was born in Knowsley.

Having lived with a disability for her adult life, she earned her degree from Liverpool John Moores University and went on to work with children with special educational needs.

She helped to establish Kings Academy Trust, which incorporates Warrington’s Kassia Academy, which is a pupil referral unit for children with social and emotional mental health needs.

On her honour, she said: “I am still in a bit of shock over this as it was not expected, and I keep thinking of all the other people who deserve it so much more than I do.

“But I am very grateful and honoured that my work has been recognised in this way.

“I worked very hard at school, but I had cataracts and lost my eyesight gradually over several years.

Amanda Nicholson

“This was catastrophic and made it nearly impossible to study, so I had to develop a range of strategies to help me cope.

“It was this experience and understanding what it felt like to have a disability and how life limiting it could be that drew me towards working with others with disability.

“We have invested more than £100,000 in Kassia as we believe these children, who are extremely vulnerable, need people to believe in them and show them they are worth it.”

Laurence Cooper, board chairman of King's Academy Trust, added: “We cannot be more proud of this great and thoroughly deserved honour bestowed on Amanda.

“This recognises the hard work, professionalism and dedication that she has shown to staff and pupils alike.

“She has given pupils with SEND a great start in life and a belief in themselves to succeed and achieve their potential.

“A great achievement to a deserved person.”

Professor Susan Smith, emeritus director of Daresbury Laboratory and the Science and Technology Facilities Council's Accelerator Science and Technology Centre, for services to science and technology – OBE

Susan retired as director of Daresbury Laboratory in November 2020, though she continues as emeritus director of the Science and Technology Facilities Council's Accelerator Science and Technology Centre.

She was recognised with an outstanding professional contributions award in 2020, which recognises outstanding individuals who have contributed to the field of accelerator science and technology and raised its public profile.

Susan Smith

Upon hearing the news, Susan said: “I am truly honoured to receive this award.

“Having spent the whole of my working career in accelerator science, I am thrilled be recognised in this way by the group.

“In the 1980s, I could count the number of women in the accelerator field in this country on one finger.

“I hope being honoured through this award will give confidence and motivation to the many women who are entering the field in the 2020s.”

Professor Mark Thomson, the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council’s executive chair, said the honour was very mush deserved.

“It is incredibly pleasing to see this public recognition for the major contributions and innovation made by Professor Smith throughout her career in accelerator and light source sciences,” he commented.

“This honour reflects the substantial contribution Susan has made both on behalf of STFC and the UK in enriching the landscape for accelerator science.”

Jo Lappin, chief executive of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, for services to the economy in Cumbria – MBE

Since her arrival in April 2018, Jo has transformed the performance of the LEP, which is responsible for Cumbria’s economic and business growth, to become one of the best performing in the country.

Very early in her civil service career, she worked in Warrington at the Job Centre, the Unemployment Benefit Office and at NormidTec in Birchwood, having also helped to develop Cheshire and Warrington LEP.

Jo Lappin

The mum-of-three, who lives in Stockton Heath with her husband Peter, said: “I am delighted to have been recognised in the New Year honours for my work at Cumbria LEP, in particular leading the business response and recovery to Covid-19.

“Clearly, this is also recognition for everybody at the LEP – the chairman, board and all of my team – for their sheer hard work and dedication to Cumbria and its businesses, and I am really receiving this on their behalf.”

Lord Inglewood, chairman of the Cumbria LEP, added: “I am very pleased that Jo has been awarded an MBE in the New Year honours for her work at Cumbria LEP.

“She has led Cumbria’s economic response and recovery work to Covid-19 and been instrumental in making sure that the voice of our businesses have been heard by Government, and much needed support has been provided.

“Since becoming chief executive three-and-a-half years ago, Jo has worked tirelessly with me to transform the LEP into what it is today – a well-regarded and high performing organisation.”

Adam Hills, presenter and comedian, for services to Paralympic sport and disability awareness – MBE

Comedian Adam Hills said he did not tell his family he had been named in the New Year honours list because he was ‘still not convinced someone is not playing a prank on me’.

The Australian TV presenter and comic, 51, who has hosted Channel 4's The Last Leg since its inception in 2012, has a prosthetic foot.

In 2019 he made the Channel 4 documentary Adam Hills: Take His Legs, which saw him embark on his childhood dream of playing competitive rugby league and join the Warrington Wolves' Physical Disability Rugby League team as they journeyed to his home country where they emerged as champions.

On the honour, the father-of-two said: “I am absolutely chuffed to bits to be given this honour. For a boy from the southern suburbs of Sydney, this is quite a massive deal.

Adam Hills

“My wife and kids moved back to Australia at the end of 2019, and thanks to Covid I saw them for a total of 12 weeks in 2021.

“It was really hard on us all, and at times I wondered if I was doing the right thing.

“I know there is no replacement for family time, it softens the blow to know that I can soon say to my kids 'Daddy got an award from the Queen'.

“With a bit of luck, they might even be able to come to England to see me receive the medal.”

He added: “Paralympic sport has changed the way I see my own disability, as well as disability in general.

“I feel so incredibly lucky to be given the chance to cover the Paralympics and am happy to shout about Paralympic sport at every opportunity.

“To be awarded for doing that is kind of like being awarded for eating chocolate – I love doing it anyway, but if someone wants to give me a medal for it, I will happily accept.

“I am so proud to do my bit for disability awareness, whether it be by having sign interpreters at my comedy shows or helping to promote disability rugby league.

“My aim is to use the profile given to me by this honour to shout even louder about Paralympic sport and disability awareness, and to use a sign interpreter for those that cannot hear my shouting.”