FIVE people connected with Warrington have been honoured in the Queen’s New Year honours, including adopted Warringtonian Adam Hills, who received an MBE for his services to Paralympic Sport and disability awareness.
The Australian TV presenter and comic, 51, who hosts Channel 4’s The Last Leg since its inception in 2012, has a prosthetic foot and didn’t tell his family about the honour in case it was a prank!
In 2019 he made a Channel 4 documentary Adam Hills: Take His Legs, embarking on his childhood dream of playing rugby league and joining the Warrington Wolves’ Physical Disability Rugby League team as they journeyed to his home country where they emerged as world champions.
Meanwhile, Amanda Nicholson, chief executive officer for King’s Academy Trust and executive principal of Oakwood Academy in Manchester, has received the OBE for services to education.
Amanda, who lives in Great Sankey with her husband Keith and two daughters Jessica and Beth, was born in Knowsley.
Having lived with a disability for her adult life, she earned a degree from Liverpool John Moores University and went on to work with children with special educational needs.
She went on to help establish Kings Academy Trust, which incorporates Warrington’s Kassia Academy, a pupil referral unit for children with social and emotional mental health needs.
Also receiving an OBE is Kevin McGee, joint chief executive of East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, for services to the NHS.
Kevin, from Warrington, has worked at director level in the NHS for more than 20 years. He has a background in finance and has also undertaken roles as chief operating officer and in commissioning and performance management.
Another Warringtonian receiving an OBE is Professor Susan Smith, emeritus director of Daresbury Laboratory and the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s Accelerator Science and Technology Centre, for services to science and
technology.
Susan retired as director of Daresbury Laboratory in November 2020, although she continues as emeritus director of the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s Accelerator Science and Technology Centre.
She was recognised with an outstanding professional contributions award in 2020, which recognises outstanding individuals who have contributed to the field of accelerator science and technology and raised its public profile.
Finally, Stockton Heath mother of three, Jo Lappin, chief executive of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, received an MBE for services to the economy in Cumbria.
Since arriving in April 2018 she has helped transform the performance of the LEP, which is responsible for Cumbria’s economic and business growth, helping make it become one of the best performing in the country.
Early in her civil service career, she worked in Warrington at the Job Centre, the Unemployment Benefit Office and at NormidTec in Birchwood and also helped develop Cheshire and Warrington LEP.
Thank you to all who messaged me about the MBE. I am so genuinely honoured to be recognised for Services to Paralympic Sport and Disability Awareness, and it’s brilliant to see so many Paralympians awarded. I’m also chuffed to find out I’m a Comic Book. pic.twitter.com/LSzmQMzWMP
— Adam Hills (@adamhillscomedy) January 1, 2022
