North East New Year honours 2017

Northumbria PCC Vera Baird and a Newcastle basketball star will be among those celebrating this evening, in the Queen's New Year Honours.

Ms Baird is being made a Dame for her services to women and equality.

She said;

“This was very delightful and surprising news, I am particularly pleased that the award specifically refers to services to the cause of women and equality, recognising that gender equality is desirable for the country and for everyone in it.

"There have been great advances but there is still more to do.

"It is important we also continue addressing other forms of equality, across race, religion, sexual orientation, disability and the other protected strands in the Equality Act 2010, which I helped to take through Parliament, as Solicitor General.

"I have been a longstanding equality campaigner, as a lawyer, an MP a Government Minister and now as Police and Crime Commissioner, in particular tackling the significant interference with human rights caused by violence against women and girls, still rife in our society.

"Many others have worked equally hard and our greatest task ahead is fundamentally to change the culture so that no such violence is ever acceptable and those who perpetrate it are rejected.

“I feel truly proud to receive this honour, and see it as giving the cause of equality a boost. I would like to thank all the many people who have supported, helped and encouraged me over the years. We must continue to work together to achieve the equality we are fighting for."

Meanwhile, Mr Fabulous Flournoy, 43, has been rewarded for his services to British Basketball and the North East Community.

Born in New York, he had a very disadvantaged upbringing but through determination he turned basketball into an opportunity to attend a college and then subsequently obtain a contract to play basketball in England.

He is the most successful player-coach in the history of British basketball having led the Newcastle Eagles to 18 separate trophy victories since 2005 including 6 league titles in 9 years. This was all accomplished whilst combining the dual role of being both a player and also a head coach, something virtually unheard of in basketball.

He has on four occasions been voted the British basketball league coach of the year. In 2006, he led the England basketball team in Sydney - returning home with a bronze medal. As the head-player and coach of the Newcastle Eagles, he has ensured that they are extremely active in the local community with projects such as Hoops4Health which teaches healthy living to 12,000 schoolchildren every year as well as promoting other schemes which support and emphasise the need for social heartbeat.

Due to a combination of his own background and his aspirations, he is the heartbeat and public face of such programmes. He has been recognised by numerous people throughout his community, such as the Chief Constable of County Durham, for his commitment to said causes.

He has also spent time in Young Offender's Institutes seeking to communicate with the inmates as to their choices in life and using his own experiences to illustrate them as well as completing speaking engagements for homeless charities.

And you can see the full list of those in the North East, Cumbria and Teesside who have been given a nod in this year’s New Year Honours below;

MBE

Ms Joanna May Smith. Deputy director for Prisons. North East England Samaritans. For services to Offender Support. (Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne and Wear)

Edwin Charles Stanbridge. Assistant Officer. HM Revenue and Customs. For services to Customer Service and the community in County Durham.

Dr Antony David Trapp, DL. For services to the Engineering and Energy Industries. (Stocksfield, Northumberland)

Richard Hamlyn Tucker. Founder and director. AAA Property Services. For services to Business Skills and the community in North East England.

Matthew James Wylie. For services to Swimming. (Washington, Tyne and Wear)

Mr Laurence WHITELEY, for services to rowing, Northallerton, North Yorkshire.

Walter Ivor Pattison. For services to Disabled People in North East England. (Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire)

Mrs Jacqueline Gent. Headteacher, Bishop Barrington School. For services to Education and the community in County Durham. (Crook, Durham)

Edwin Charles Stanbridge. Assistant Officer. HM Revenue and Customs. For services to Customer Service and the community in County Durham.

Defence. For services in Support of the Defence Equipment and Support. (Millom, Cumbria)

Manchester College (UK LTE Group) and Chair, National Clerks Network. For services to Further Education. (Penrith, Cumbria)

Charles Richard Godwin. For services to charity through the Charles Godwin Charitable Trust. (Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria)

OBE

Ian Norman Dodds. Senior Policy Adviser. Cabinet Office. For services to Civil Society and Community Action in the North East of England. (Gateshead, Tyne and Wear)

Professor Mary Elizabeth Dunning. Formerly Governor. Tyne Metropolitan College. For services to Further and Higher Education and the Community in the North-East of England. (Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear)

Stuart John Cornwell. Chair. A Way Out and Chair, Spurgeons Child Care and Chair of the Advisory Panel, Safe Families for Children. For services to Children and Families. (Stockton on Tees, Durham)

Naseem Aslam Khan. Managing director. Jennings Motor Group. For services to the Economy and charity. (Stockton on Tees, Durham)

Peter William Rowley. For services to Sports Administration. (Darlington, Durham)

Mrs Susan Victoria Mary Aglionby, DL. For services to Young People and the community in Cumbria. (Carlisle, Cumbria)

James Ronald Carr. For services to Conservation. Education and the community in Cumbria. (Cumbria)

Samworth Brothers Ltd. For services to Business Growth and Productivity. (Penrith, Cumbria)

BEM

Mrs Muriel Olive Harris. For voluntary service to the community in Northumberland. (Morpeth, Northumberland)

Mrs Mabel Louise McGurk. For services to Terminally Ill Patients and the community in Middlesbrough. Teesside. (Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire)

Professor Peter Andrew Heasman. Volunteer Member. NHS Research Ethics Committees. For services to Providing Ethical Review and Support to Researchers. (Shotley Bridge, Durham)

Mrs Hazel Margery Whitehead. For services to the community in Ingleton. County Durham. (Darlington, Durham)

Stuart John Cornwell. Chair. A Way Out and Chair, Spurgeons Child Care and Chair of the Advisory Panel, Safe Families for Children. For services to Children and Families. (Stockton on Tees, Durham)

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