New Year Honours List 2022 pays tribute to sport and community heroes

New Year fireworks in Birmingham (Credit: ahisgett / CC BY 2.0).

The trusted faces in the battle against Covid-19 are to receive a knighthood in this year’s New Years Honours List.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for England Professor Chris Whitty, CMO for Scotland Gregor Smith and CMO for Wales Frank Atherton will become Sir’s following their leadership throughout the pandemic.

Also recognised are Chief Government Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and Deputy Medical Officers for England Dr Jenny Harries and Professor Jonathan Van-Tam. Emily Lawson will become a Dame for her vaccine rollout operation.

Following a year of spectacular year of sport, Emma Radacanu receives an MBE as a result of her US Open win. Chelsea Women’s manager Emma Hayes receives an OBE for her work promoting women’s football and Sheila Parker, the first captain of the England Women Football Team, is given an MBE for services to football and charity.

78 Olympians have been honoured for their services to sport, including Adam Peaty and Tom Daley who will receive an OBE for their achievements at Tokyo 2020 alongside Peaty and Daley raising awareness of mental health and LGBT issues respectively.

Married Olympians Laura and Jason Kenny receive a damehood and knighthood in the same honours list, for services to cycling.

Gold-medallist Hannah Mills receives an OBE for sailing and her campaigning on marine pollution. Other Olympians and Paralympians being honoured include OBE recipient Hannah Cockroft, for her services to athletics, a CBE for cyclist Jodie Cundy, OBE for sprinter and cyclist Kadeena Cox, and MBEs for boxer Lauren Price, diver Matty Lee and BMX racer Bethany Shriever. There is also an OBE for six-time World Championship winning superbike racer Jonathan Rea.

From sport to entertainment, Damehoods are given to actresses Joanna Lumley and Vanessa Redgrave for their services to drama, entertainment and charity.

Veteran soap stars William Roache, known best for playing Ken Barlow in Coronation Street since its first broadcast in 1960 and June Brown, who is known for her role as Dot Cotton in Eastenders receive OBEs. Another Coronation Street actor, Cherylee Houston, receives an MBE for services to drama and to people with disabilities.

Knighthoods were also received by current and former MPs; William Wiggin, Member of Parliament for North Herefordshire and Robert Goodwill MP, Member of Parliament for Scarborough and Whitby. Former MP Sylvia Heal receives a damehood and a knighthood for former MP the Rt Hon John Battle.

Two Companions of Honour are awarded in the New Year Honours List to veteran politician Lord (Frank) Field of Birkenhead for his lifetime of public service and Nobel Prize-winning geneticist Sir Paul Nurse for his outstanding contribution to scientific research and understanding.

1,278 people have received an award, with 47.9% of the total being women and 15.1% coming from an ethnic minority background. 63% of recipients are people who have undertaken outstanding work in their communities either in a voluntary or paid capacity.

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