The wide variety of contributions to public life by people from Essex has been recognised once again.

One Knighthood, one CVO, one CBE, three OBEs, eighteen MBEs and nine BEMs have been awarded by The King in his Birthday Honours List 2026 to individuals in our county.

These contributions include excellence in the fields of politics and national services, housing, education and early years, health and medical care, transport, the armed forces, national heritage, social mobility, EDI, sport, culture and the performing arts, charity and community service.

It is noticeable how many recipients are involved in education in one form or another: Raegan Nina Barnes (lately Headteacher at Nayland Primary School in Colchester), Simon Wood (Executive Headteacher at Sir Martin Frobisher Academy in Clacton-on-Sea), and Penelope Paterson (Senior Inspector at Havering School Improvement Services in the London Borough of Havering) have all been awarded MBEs for their services to Education. In addition, an MBE has also been awarded for services to Early Years education to Kim Barnetson (Childminding Partner, Stronger Practice Hub, Childminders Mentor, Essex and Hertfordshire, and Tutor, ACL Training, Essex).

Commenting on the list of recipients, Mrs Jennifer Tolhurst, Lord-Lieutenant of Essex, The King’s personal representative in the county, said:

“I am proud of all the recipients of national honours in our county who have been recognised in the list announced today. Their achievements are truly outstanding, and I would like to congratulate each one of them.

I would encourage anyone who knows someone, who is making a big difference to others in their community, to nominate them for a national honour and to help them achieve public recognition at the highest level for their contribution to society.”

The Lord-Lieutenant goes on to say how honoured and privileged she feels to have been made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, a personal gift from The King for her distinguished personal service.

The Essex List

 

Knighthood

Andrew Harold MITCHELL CBE FREng, Chief Executive Officer, Tideway. For services to the Construction Industry.

Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO)

Jennifer Mary TOLHURST, Lord-Lieutenant of Essex

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Justin Andrew Cardale HOLLIDAY, Chief Finance Officer and Tax Assurance Comissioner, HM Revenue and Customs. For Public Service.

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

David William BIRKBECK, Chief Executive, Design for Homes.  For services to Housing Design.

Robert Ian MCLINTOCK, Trustee, Active Essex Foundation. For services to the community in Essex.

Lyn Alison WRIGHT, Lately Chief Executive Officer, The Sigma Trust, Essex. For services to Education and to Tackling Coastal Deprivation.

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Michelle AGYEMANG. For services to Association Football.

Raegan Nina BARNES (DELANEY), Lately Headteacher, Nayland Primary School, Suffolk. For services to Education.

Kimberley Joy BARNETSON, Childminding Partner, Stronger Practice Hub, Childminders Mentor, Essex and Hertfordshire, and Tutor, ACL Training, Essex. For services to Early Years Education.

Dr Dianne BORIEN, Lately Interim Head of Service, Southend-on-Sea City Council. For services to Early Years Education.

Julie CARTER, Owner and Principal, TipToe Stage School and Scalliwags Pre-School, South Ockendon, Essex. For services to Early Years Education and Performing Arts.

Brian Peter FREEMANTLE, Lately Head of Rolling Stock Contracts and Policy Delivery, Department for Transport. For services to the Railway Network.

David Michael HOLMES, Author and Broadcaster. For services to Film, Media and to Charity.

Kimberly Ann KLUG-MILLER, Community Partnerships Manager, Community Access Scheme, Historic Royal Palaces. For services to Community Access to Heritage.

Joy Alison MADEIROS, Group Chief Executive Officer, Oasis Charitable Trust and Founding Member, Women’s Faith Forum. For services to Education and Faith Relations.

Jameson MASHAKADA, Head of VAT Deductions Policy Team, HM Revenue and Customs. For services to Race Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Penelope Anne PATTERSON, Senior Inspector, Havering School Improvement Services, London Borough of Havering. For services to Education.

Liam Benjamin PRESTON BEM, Co-Founder, Dad Still Standing. For services to the Baby Loss Community.

Joanne Karen ROBERTS, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, The Wilderness Foundation UK. For Charitable Service.

Christopher Laurence TURNER, Founder, London Bus Theatre Company. For services to Young People in Essex.

Iain Henry VARAH, Chief Executive, Vision Redbridge Culture and Leisure Ltd. For services to Public Libraries, Culture and Leisure.

Sally Maureen VINCENT, Founder, GI Trace. For services to Charity.

Simon Arthur WOOD, Executive Headteacher, Sir Martin Frobisher Academy, Clacton-on-Sea. For services to Education.

Sarah Jane WRIGHT, For services to Substance Abuse Treatment.

Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

Linda Annette GAINE, For services to Grassroots Netball in East Anglia.

Paul John GATES, Vice-Chair, British Association for Immediate Care. For services to Pre-Hospital Critical Care.

Peter MAMBARA, Head of Technical and Training for First Bus. For services to Public Transport and Transport Engineering.

Martyn PATTIE, For services to the community in Ongar, Essex

Andrew Graham SHELDON, Councillor, Essex County Council. For Political and Public Service.

Michael John SPRINGETT, For services to Young People in the East of England.

Kim WATSON, For services to Grassroots Netball in East Anglia.

Simon Ernest WOOTTON, For services to the community in South Essex.

Enola WRIGHT, Founder, Insulinoma Charity UK. For services to the Insulinoma Community.

 

 

More About Honours

The Individual Honours system in the UK is designed to recognise people and who make a real difference to their community or in their field of work.

You can nominate someone for an Honour here >

You can find out more about Honours here >

View the full 2026 New Year Honours List on the Government website here >

 

About The Lord Lieutenant of Essex

His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Essex is Mrs Jennifer Tolhurst, appointed in 2017. She is His Majesty the King’s personal representative in the county.

The main duty of the Lord-Lieutenant is to uphold the dignity of the Crown in Essex, including encouraging voluntary service and benevolent organisations, helping to create a spirit of co-operation in the county, supporting business and industry and the social life of Essex.

The appointment is non-political and unpaid.

Find out more about the role of a Lord-Lieutenant and the Lieutenancy >

Find out about a Day in the Life of HM Lord-Lieutenant of Essex >

If you would like to invite HM Lord-Lieutenant of Essex to attend an event, please contact the Lieutenancy office here >