Philanthropists honoured in Queen’s birthday list

Philanthropists honoured in Queen’s birthday list

News (UK)

The Government has chosen to celebrate the work of philanthropists and voluntary sector leaders in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. Michael Hintze was knighted for his services to the arts. He has contributed to around 200 different causes, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Old Vic theatre, the National Gallery and the Wandsworth Museum. He has also contributed to his local hospice.

Phyllis Somers and Janet Wolfson de Botton were both made dames for their charitable services. Phyllis Somers has donated over £46m to a range of medical research and social welfare charities, including the Cancer Research UK, particularly towards the cost of new research facilities at Southampton University. She has been a patron of Norwood, enabling the charity to build and operate a support centre for families affected by disability and social disadvantage. She has also supported the Shelter Trust.

Janet Wolfson de Botton is chair of the Wolfson Foundation. In the last two years, it has awarded grants of up to £20m to support research into neurological diseases and £10m has been allocated to 36 museums and galleries including the Tate.

Philanthropist Robert Fleming was awarded a CBE for charitable services. He has made substantial donations to charities through his family charitable trust. David Ulrich Armitage was awarded an OBE for services to charitable giving in Yorkshire and the UK and Mrs Kamal Basran, founder of the Authentic Food Company was awarded an OBE for services to business and charity.

An OBE was awarded to social entrepreneur Steven Edwards for services to Philanthropy and higher education.

Sir Michael Moritz was also awarded a knighthood for promoting British economic interests and philanthropic work. Last year, he gave £75m to Oxford University. This was described as the “biggest philanthropic gift for undergraduate financial support in European history”. He is chair of venture capital firm, Sequoia Capital and lives in the US. He has been made a Knight Commander of the British Empire (KBE), which can be given to Britons based abroad.

Professor Eric Thomas, vice-chancellor of Bristol University was also knighted for services to higher education. He chaired the government taskforce into Increasing Voluntary Giving in Higher Education and wrote an influential report, which has helped to shape voluntary giving across the sector.

Meanwhile, the social investment and enterprise world was recognised with Malcolm Hayday, founding chief executive of Charity Bank being awarded a CBE for services to charities and social enterprise. Caroline Mason, chief operating officer, Big Society Capital also received a CBE for services to social investment.

Other charity sector figures awarded CBEs include John Farmer, Dr Carol Homden, chief executive of the Thomas Coram Foundation for services to children, Neil McIntosh, former chief executive of the CfBT Education Trust, for services to children and Dr Jennifer Dixon, chief executive of Nuffield Trust, for services to public health and Anthony Tomei, former director of the Nuffield Foundation, for services to education.

Those receiving OBEs include Andrew Ross, lately chief executive of the Children’s Trust, for services to children and Saleh Saeed, chief executive of the Disasters Emergency Committee, for services to humanitarian work.

The director of the Tate, Sir Nicholas Serota, was made a Companion of Honour and the director of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Michael Stratton, was knighted for services to medical science.

Professor Hermione Lee was also awarded a CBE for services to literary scholarship. She is president of Wolfson College and Professor of English Literature, University of Oxford and is well known for her support and engagement in fundraising for Wolfson College.

In total 1,180 people received an award. For a full list of see

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/206698/Birthday_Honours_List_2013.pdf

  • Awards
  • Promoting philanthropy
  • UK