Alumni honoured in King’s Birthday Honours 2023
A number of leading University of Liverpool alumni have been conferred with honours in the King’s Birthday Honours 2023.
Among our distinguished alumni, Professor Dame Averil Mansfield DBE CBE FRCS FRCP (MBChB 1960, ChM 1973, Hon MD 1994) was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to Surgery and to Equality in Medicine. She was previously appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1999 for services to surgery and women in medicine.
Dame Averil, who was the first female professor of surgery in the United Kingdom, gained her degree in Medicine from the University of Liverpool in 1960. She began her career at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, where she became a consultant vascular surgeon in 1972 and lectured in surgery at the University.
Following a move to London in 1980, she worked at Hillingdon Hospital before being appointed consultant vascular surgeon and professor of vascular surgery at St Mary’s Hospital in 1993, the first female professor of surgery. She remained at St Mary's for the rest of her career, also serving as an honorary consultant in paediatric and vascular surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital. She retired from surgery in 2002.
Dame Averil served on the Council of the Royal College of Surgeons of England from 1990 to 2000 and was Vice President from 1998 to 2000. She is the founding chairwoman of the RCS's Women in Surgical Training committee in 1991.
She was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 2005, and was elected president of the British Medical Association in 2009–2010. In 2012 she was voted one of "100 Women Who Have Changed the World" by The Independent on Sunday. She also founded Women in Surgery, a Royal College of Surgeons initiative to encourage more women to enter the field, and in May 2018, she was given a NHS Heroes Award.
As well as her distinguished career in medicine, Dame Averil has remained a long-standing supporter and donor to the University. She became a Campaign Ambassador for the Yoko Ono Lennon Centre, where a room is named after her. In 2020 she appeared on Desert Island Discs and in 2023 published her book ‘Life In Her Hands’ which detailed her ground-breaking career.
We would like to congratulate all of our alumni and friends who received honours in the King’s Birthday Honours 2023. The full list of those recognised for their outstanding contributions is detailed here:
- Dr Jessica Barker (MA Research Methodology – Civic Design 2005, PhD Civic Design 2010): Co-Founder and Joint Chief Executive Officer, Cygenta; MBE for services to cyber security
- Robert Blackman MP (BSc Hons Physics and Mathematics 1978): Member of Parliament for Harrow East; CBE for Political and Public Service
- Professor Dominic Harrison (MPH 2002): Lately Director, Public Health, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council; BEM for services to Vulnerable People in Lancashire
- Serena Kennedy Chief Constable, Merseyside Police; King’s Police Medal (KPM)
- Professor Averil Mansfield (MBChB 1960, ChM 1973, Hon MD 1994): DBE for services to Surgery and to Equality in Medicine
- Mark McClennon (BA Hons Pure Mathematics 1986): Chair, Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education; MBE for services to Further Education and Apprenticeships
- Professor Eleanor Riley (PhD Veterinary Pathology 1985): Professor of Immunology and Infectious Disease, University of Edinburgh; CBE for services to Immunology
- Andrew Stokes (BA Hons 1984): Director, Visit England; OBE for services to Tourism
- Sharon Young (BEng Hons Mechanical Engineering 1997): Principal, Project Engineering, Elizabeth Line, Transport for London; MBE for services to Rail Transport in London.
- Richard McMahon (LLB Hons 1984): Knight Bachelor for services to the Crown and to the community in the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
- Dr Terry Waite (Hon LLD 1986): Co-Founder and President, Hostage International; KCMG for services to Charity and to Humanitarian Work.