South Cumbrians recognised in King’s Birthday Honours

A number of people from South Cumbria have been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours list.

King Charles III's official birthday is today, Saturday, June 15, with a number of Cumbrians named as recipients of honours in celebration of their remarkable achievements.

Among the local recipients are Professor Brian James Webster-Henderson, deputy vice chancellor of the University of Cumbria and professor of nursing, who picks up an OBE for services to the NHS and to education.

Professor Webster-Henderson is a recognised and established national leader in relation to nursing education, healthcare and workforce.

He said: “I am very humbled to receive this honour in the King's Birthday Awards.

“I've had a great career as a nurse, caring for people with a range of conditions in either mental health or emergency acute care, and then moving into higher education.

‘’I've had the best of both worlds, and as a nursing leader, there's a lot to do with the profession in the UK to make it an attractive profession for people to come into. I’m glad to think I’ve had a part to play in that and will continue to do so.”

At the University of Cumbria, Professor Webster-Henderson provides executive leadership across the institution’s academic, research and knowledge exchange operations and its student support services.

He leads too on the university’s equality, diversity, inclusion, and well-being agendas, and is a governor at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust and a Trustee for the Fells Academy Trust in Cumbria.

Jayne Moorby, head of marketing at Oxley Developments Co in Ulverston, is awarded the MBE for services to the defence and aerospace industry.

Previously Jayne has been recognised by The Manufacturer as one of the UK’s 100 most influential people in the category of ‘Driver of Cultural Change.’

She is also Co-Chair of the Defence PaSMEC (Primes and SME Community), a Northern Powerhouse Export Champion, member of the Made Smarter North West Steering Group and the Cumbria Advanced Manufacturing Sector Panel.

She also chairs the Cumbria Cornerstone Employer Group and skills charity Furness Education and Skills Partnership.

Other Cumbrian recipients include an MBE for Jim Walker for services to tourism.

One of the best-known figures in the industry, Jim has built his reputation in travel and tourism over more than 40 years and continues to serve Cumbria Tourism members and champion the industry with all the passion and enthusiasm he’s shown over the past four decades.

Jim has been a leading light in bringing significant overseas tourism to Cumbria - spearheading early missions to Japan alongside public and trade exhibition presences in the UK and beyond.

He is also widely acknowledged for championing major developments to the county’s infrastructure and product, and helping local authorities to work more closely with the county’s tourism operators.

For the last 22 years Jim has been employed by Lake District Estates Co in Kendal.

The British Empire Medal (BEM) goes to Thomas Coulthard for services to heritage and to the community in the Lake District, and Dennis Laird, for services to the community in Barrow.