King's Birthday Honours Recognise Buckinghamshire Achievers

A number of Buckinghamshire residents and community leaders have been recognised in the King's Birthday Honours for their outstanding contributions to public life, education, charity, healthcare, music and justice.

His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, The Countess Howe, congratulated those honoured, saying:

"We are privileged to be home to diverse and gifted individuals who work tirelessly to improve the lives of others. It affords me immense pride that their achievements have been recognised."

Among those receiving a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) is Professor Joanna Cannon from Amersham, Professor Emerita at The Courtauld Institute of Art, honoured for services to art curation and research. Also receiving a CBE is Anne Eden of Amersham, Regional Director for South East NHS England, recognised for her services to the NHS.

Beaconsfield resident Neil Heslop, Chief Executive of the Charities Aid Foundation, has been awarded a CBE for services to philanthropy and charity, while Annabel Ruth McKeon of High Wycombe receives a CBE for services to the administration of justice through her work as Director of Strategy, Development and Change at HM Courts and Tribunals Service.

Several Buckinghamshire figures have been awarded Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). They include broadcaster and musician Cerys Matthews of Bourne End for services to music, Andrew Charles Routley of Aylesbury, Governor of HM Prison Huntercombe and former Deputy Governor of HM Prison Aylesbury, for public service, Mary Elizabeth Tuckett of Buckingham for services to the criminal justice system, and Aileen Evans, former Chief Executive of Grand Union Housing Group, for services to social housing.

Further recognition comes with Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) awards. Nicola Jane Ellis, Assistant Principal for Student Engagement and Support at Buckinghamshire College Group in Aylesbury, receives an MBE for services to further education. Sally Elizabeth Alexander, Principal and Chief Executive Officer of Milton Keynes College Group, is also honoured with an MBE for services to further education.

Technology entrepreneur Olubukola Moyo Babajide, founder of Crystal Options Ltd, receives an MBE for services to technology, business and inclusion. Also recognised with MBEs are philanthropist Leah Rani Chowdhry for services to charitable fundraising; Nuala Anne Fox, Trustee of the London and Slough Charitable Trust, for services to homeless people; Diane Joan Redfern, Chair of South Bucks Riding for the Disabled Group, for services to disabled riders; Dr Nadeem Hasan Rizvi for services to industrial laser applications in manufacturing; and Shirley Ann Tovell for services to Parliament.

Deborah Lewis, founder of Covid19FamiliesUK, has been recognised for her work supporting bereaved families, receiving an MBE for services to bereavement support.

Two Buckinghamshire residents have also been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM). Jane Anne Larkham has been recognised for services to the community in Wendover, while Darren James Ward receives the honour for charitable service, particularly his support of Birmingham Children's Hospital.

The honours recognise individuals who have made exceptional contributions to their professions and communities, with Buckinghamshire strongly represented across this year's list. Recipients come from a broad range of sectors including healthcare, education, justice, charity, business, manufacturing, music and community volunteering.

Nuala Fox receives an MBE. She leads a team of over 80 volunteers in South Bucks who work tirelessly to collect and prepare food from local donations and supermarkets and deliver it to those who need it most. They collect food that would otherwise go to waste from supermarkets in Gerrards Cross, Chalfont St Peter and other areas, and sort and pack it in Langley. There is also a weekly sandwich, tea and soup making initiative in St Joseph's Church, Chalfont St Peter, where many of the volunteers there have been doing it for over 20 years. These sandwiches, tea and soup get driven in to Waterloo and Temple every Monday evening to deliver to the homeless. The food collection and distribution in Langley goes to local community centres, places of worship and foodbanks in South Bucks and Slough to feed over 1,000 people a week.

Trustee and Secretary of the London and Slough Charitable Trust, Nuala lives in Burnham and has been volunteering with the London and Slough Charitable Trust for over 30 years, including working with the original founder, Phyllis Wallbank MBE. The charity began in 1984 with Phyllis taking food from the Bucks area to the homeless in London and now serves over 1,000 people a week in the local community. 

Nuala is being recognised for her outstanding work helping drive the charity's efforts which so far this year has provided 56,000 meals to local charities, foodbanks, and community centres. She Nuala is organising their annual fundraiser, the Dawn Walk and Run, on Sunday 5th July to raise much-needed funds to keep these initiatives running.

"I am honoured to be recognised for my work with the London and Slough Charitable Trust, and would like to the amazing board of trustees, and volunteers within the charity who have been an absolute pleasure to work with over the years. We are committed to helping the local community as much as we can, which is needed more than ever as rising energy and food costs push more people into food poverty. I am excited for our annual fundraising event, a brilliant day raising funds for our local community," commented Nuala.

In total, Buckinghamshire's Birthday Honours recipients include four CBEs, four OBEs, nine MBEs and two BEM award winners, highlighting the remarkable contribution made by people across the county to local and national life.

The complete list of the Buckinghamshire residents in the 2026 Birthday List is:

Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
Professor Joanna Louise Cannon Lowden (Joanna Cannon): Professor Emerita, The Courtauld Institute of Art. For services to Art Curation and Research
Anne Eden: Regional Director for South East, NHS England. For services to the NHS
Neil Heslop OBE: Chief Executive, Charities Aid Foundation. For services to Philanthropy and Charity
Annabel Ruth McKeon (Annabel Burns): Director of Strategy, Development and Change, HM Courts and Tribunals Service. For services to the Administration of Justice
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Aileen Christine BUSH (Aileen Evans): Lately Chief Executive, Grand Union Housing Group. For services to Social Housing
Cerys Elizabeth Phillips Matthews MBE: Musician and Broadcaster. For services to Music
Andrew Charles Routley: Governor, HM Prison Huntercombe and lately Deputy Governor, HM Prison Aylesbury. For Public Service
Mary Elizabeth Tuckett JP DL: Lately Regional Leadership Magistrate for South East England and Nominated Judicial Office Holder. For services to the Criminal Justice System

Members of the Order of the British Empire
Sally Alexander: Services to Education (Oxfordshire)
Olubukola Moyo Babajide: Founder, Crystal Options Ltd and Female Techpreneur. For services to Technology, to Business and to Inclusion
Leah Rani Chowdhry: Philanthropist. For services to Charitable Fundraising
Nicola Jane Ellis: Assistant Principal for Student Engagement and Support, Buckinghamshire College Group. For services to Further Education
Nuala Anne Fox: Trustee, London and Slough Charitable Trust. For services to Homeless People
Deborah Lewis: Founder, Covid19FamiliesUK. For services to Bereavement Support
Diane Joan Redfern: Chair, Group Organiser and Host, South Bucks Riding for the Disabled Group. For services to Disabled Riders
Dr Nadeem Hasan Rizvi: Managing Director, Laser Micromachining. For services to Industrial Laser Applications in Manufacturing
Shirley Ann Tovell: For services to Parliament

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire
Jane Anne Larkham: For services to the community in Wendover, Buckinghamshire
Darren James Ward: Lately Railwayman, West Midlands Trains and Freightliner Group. For Charitable Service, particularly to Birmingham Children's Hospital