Writer Julia Donaldson, Clyde 1 staple George Bowie and Hoops legend Lou Macari have all been recognised.

Several Scots have been named in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours, including The Gruffalo author, a radio DJ and former Celtic star.

Writer Julia Donaldson, Clyde 1 staple George Bowie and Hoops legend Lou Macari have all been recognized for their extraordinary achievements and/or community service to the British public in the list.

The Glasgow-based author who has written more than 200 books including The Snail And The Whale, Room On The Broom, Zog, Stick Man, Tiddler, The Scarecrows’ Wedding and The Highway Rat, is made a dame in the King’s Birthday Honours for services to literature.

Dame Julia, 77, has sold more than 50 million books worldwide and last year supplanted Harry Potter writer JK Rowling as the UK’s all-time top author in terms of units sold. She said she owes much of her success to her childhood library and the librarian who fostered her love of reading.

“Receiving this honour has been a very happy surprise,” Dame Julia said. “It’s really gratifying to have children’s books recognised in this way.

“I’m so grateful for all the enthusiastic support I’ve had during my career from people in the book world – those in the very many libraries, schools and bookshops I’ve visited over the years, my wonderful illustrators, the publishers and literacy charities I’ve been involved with, and of course my readers.

“Going back further, perhaps my biggest debt of all is to the library which was in walking distance of my childhood home and the librarian who helped me discover the books and authors that I came to love.

“Without that place and person I probably would never have become a children’s writer – let alone a dame.

“So I’m making a plea to the Government for more libraries and more librarians in our communities and schools, so that the current generation of children can enjoy all the benefits that reading brings.”

Radio presenter George Bowie, who has hosted a breakfast show for nearly three decades, has said he is “delighted” to become a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to radio and charity in the west of Scotland.

Bowie At Breakfast has long been a fixture on Clyde 1 and next April will mark 30 years of the DJ presenting the show live.

The 58-year-old famed for the GBX has long attended charity events across Scotland without accepting any fee. He has done high-profile work with the charity Cash For Kids and has helped social groups receive more than £1 million in grants.

Born in Greenock, Bowie first began working in radio in the late 1980s. He said: “Everybody got their own radio show apart from me, so that made me all the more determined. I’ve been doing it ever since.”

His breakfast show means he gets up at 4am daily, though the presenter says his programme “doesn’t feel like work”.

He continued: “I had my time going out clubbing when I was younger. Now I have an excuse to leave early – I’m going on the radio. I’m lucky enough to work with a great group of people.”

Bowie first became involved in charity work as his younger brother is severely disabled. He currently does around 50 charity gigs a year for various causes.

Reflecting on the MBE, he said his 88-year-old mother Betty was overjoyed to hear of his nomination, adding: “I can’t describe what this means to her.”

He said the honour is “amazing” even if others are more deserving, saying: “I’m delighted to receive it.”

Ex-Celtic player Lou Macari has also received an MBE for services to football and fighting homelessness.

He set up the Macari Foundation to help combat homelessness in Stoke-on-Trent in 2016.

The former Manchester United and Scotland star established the Macari Foundation after recognising the scale of the housing problem in the town.

Following a playing career that peaked with spells at Celtic and Old Trafford as well as a place in Scotland’s 1978 World Cup squad, Macari went on to manage Stoke in two spells between 1991 and 1997, and made his home in the town.

Macari told the Press Association: “It all started when I saw six homeless people in a doorway in Stoke on a cold winter’s night and went over to speak to them.

“I told them I would try to help them, I went to the council, got the keys to a property they had repossessed, and quite simply that was the start of it all.

“I had no idea where it was going to go from there. Hopefully this honour will help increase awareness because although we are still trying and having some success, none of us have found a way to get rid of the problem.”

Lucina Hackman, professor of forensic anthropology at the University of Dundee, said she is “honoured” to have been given a damehood in the King’s Birthday Honours. And Professor Andrew Morris of the University of Edinburgh praised the “extraordinary strength of medical science” as he is honoured with a knighthood.

Legendary actress Dame Helen Mirren has also been made a Companion of Honour for services to drama in the King’s Birthday Honours. The rare accolade recognises service of national importance and is limited to just 65 people at any one time.

Also receiving awards are two-time Ryder Cup winning captain Luke Donald, snooker World Championship finalist Shaun Murphy and DJ Carl Cox, who got OBEs. Television presenter Anneka Rice received an MBE.

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Those include Professor Carlos Silvestre Frenk, a Durham University scientist, who is one of the originators of the Cold Dark Matter theory for the formation of structure in the Universe, Allison White, a Newton Aycliffe cancer survivor who set up a support group and Faye Marsh, a Darlington council worker who has changed the lives of a countless number of children in their most vulnerable hours.

The King issues the honours list to publicly recognize and reward exceptional achievements, bravery, and selfless service to the nation. It is a centuries-old tradition that celebrates “extraordinary people” from all walks of life, including local community volunteers, charity workers, innovators, and public figures.

We have compiled a list of all the recipients of awards from the list across the North East and North Yorkshire.

County Durham

• Professor Carlos Silvestre Frenk CBE FRS (Knighthood) Ogden Professor of Fundamental Physics, Durham University.
  For services to Astrophysics and Cosmology – Durham
• Rhiannon Jane Hiles (CBE) Chief Executive, Beamish Museum.
  For services to Museums and to the Culture and Heritage of North East England – Durham
• Dr Colin Mark Richardson (OBE) – Assistant Professor, Northumbria University.
  For services to Firefighter Safety – Lanchester
•  Dr Martin Raby (OBE) – Principal and Chief Executive, The Northern School of Art, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool, North Yorkshire and County Durham.
  For services to Higher Education – Cleveland and County Durham
• John Michael Pearce (OBE) – Lately Director of Children’s Services, Durham County Council. For services to Children and Young People – Durham
• Sundas Khalid (MBE) – Co-Founder and Director, Association of South Asian Midwives.
  For services to Charity and Healthcare – Darlington
• Graeme Michael Black (MBE) – Risk Advisory Assurance Lead, Department for Work and Pensions.
  For services to Young People in the community of Durham – Chester-le-Street
•  Shirley Kathryn Smith (MBE) – Founder and Trustee, If U Care Share Foundation.
  For services to Suicide Prevention – Chester-le-Street
• Reuben Kench (MBE) – Chair, Stockton and Darlington Rail Heritage Partnership.
  For services to Heritage – Stockton and Darlington
• Allison White (BEM) – Founder, Great Aycliffe Cancer Support Group.
  For services to Supporting People with Cancer (Aycliffe, County Durham)
• Faye Marsh (BEM) – Peer Mentor Manager, Darlington Borough Council.
  For services to Children and Young People in County Durham – Spennymoor and Darlington
•  Adrian Richards (BEM) – Police Community Support Officer, Durham Constabulary.
  For services to the community in Chester-le-Street, County Durham – Ferryhill
•  Richard Starrs (BEM) – Project Manager, Stockton and Darlington Railway Bicentenary.
  For services to Heritage – Stockton and Darlington

North Yorkshire

• Ashley John Machin (CBE) – Lately Lead Non-Executive Director, Department for Work and Pensions.
  For Public Service – Ripon
• Rachel Anne Hollis (OBE) – Lately Chair, Professional Nursing Committee, Royal College of Nursing and Honorary Nurse Advisor for Children’s Cancer Care, The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
  For services to Nursing – Ripon
• Linda Maragret Harrison-Simcock (OBE) – Foster Carer, Children’s Services, Leeds City Council.
  For services to Foster Care and to Vulnerable Children – Keighley
• Diane Margaret Heritage (OBE) – Chair of Trustees, New Collaborative Learning Trust.
  For services to Education – Selby
• Allison Kathryn Louise Potter (MBE) – Manager, National Literacy Trust Middlesbrough Hub. For services to the community in Middlesbrough – Guisborough
• Elizabeth Culshaw (BEM) –
  For services to the community in Ingleton, North Yorkshire – Carnforth

North East

• Christopher John Mullin (Knighthood) – Former MP for Sunderland South
  For Political and Public Service – Alnwick
• Samantha Jane Allen (CBE) – Chief Executive, NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board.
  For services to the NHS – Morpeth
• Bernard John ORD (OBE) –
  For services to Industry, to Charitable Causes and to the community in Teesside – Middlesbrough
• Alice Witherow (OBE) – Chief Executive Officer, Cheviot Learning Trust, Northumberland. For services to Education – North Tyneside
• Dr Ian Ritchey FREng (OBE) – Director, Connect Northumberland.
  For services to Engineering – Newcastle
• Alyson Lynn Scurfield (OBE) – Chief Executive, TEC Services Association.
  For services to Technology Enabled Care – Newcastle
• Dominic Robin Crofts Llewellyn (OBE) – Founder and Chief Executive Officer, AchieveGood. For services to the Impact Economy – Newcastle
• John Philip Birkett Marshall (OBE) – Lately Chair, Newcastle Gateshead Initiative.
  For services to the Local Economy in the North East – Morpeth
• Brenda Gillian Bland (MBE) –
  For services to Swimming in Great Britain – Hartlepool
• Paul Anthony Mackings (MBE) –
  For services to Business and the community in the North East of England – Sunderland
• Nigel Frederick Coates (MBE) – Lately Director of the Business Clinic, Northumbria University.
  For services to Higher Education and to Business – Newcastle
• Alison Dunn (MBE) – Chief Executive Officer, Citizens Advice Gateshead and Executive Director, Society Matters CIC.
  For services to the community in the North East of England – Newcastle
• The Reverend Canon Glyn Evans (MBE) –
  For services to the community in Morpeth, Northumberland – Morpeth
• Margaret Anne Lester (MBE) – County Adviser and lately County Commissioner, Girlguiding Durham North and Northumberland.
  For services to Girlguiding – Bambugh
• Geoffrey Hill (BEM) – Chair, RAF Middleton St George Memorial Association.
  For voluntary services to Aviation History – Stockton
• Caroline Tyerman (BEM) – Lately Lead Practitioner, SEND and Inclusion, Brougham Primary School Hartlepool.
  For services to Education – Hartlepool
• Stephen Bunn (BEM) –
  For services to Stroke Victims and to the community in Cleveland, North Yorkshire – Redcar
• Debra Jayne Padgett (BEM) – Pathology Network Operational Lead and Clinical Pathology Lead, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
  For services to Biomedical Science in the NHS – Whitley Bay
• Richard Anderson (BEM) – Customs Control Framework Risk and Controls Lead, Borders and Trade, HM Revenue and Customs.
  For services to Charity – Gateshead
• Lynn Hope (BEM) – Lately Head Coach and Manager, Northern Hope Gymnastics Club.
  For services to Inclusive Gymnastics – Washington
• Barbara Scrimshaw (BEM) – Fundraising Organiser, The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals.
  For Charitable Service – Alnwick

Nationally, The King’s Birthday Honours this year also highlighted a wide range of national figures, led by rugby league great Kevin Sinfield, actress Dame Helen Mirren, and several of England’s Euro-winning Lionesses.

Sinfield was knighted for his extraordinary fundraising and advocacy for motor neurone disease, raising over £10 million inspired by his late teammate Rob Burrow, while six Lionesses, including Chloe Kelly and rising star Michelle Agyemang, received MBEs for their historic football triumph.

Dame Helen Mirren was appointed a Companion of Honour for her outstanding contribution to drama, as nearly 1,200 individuals across sport, arts, charity, and public life were recognised for their impact on British society.

Every effort has been made to include all of the North East and North Yorkshire recipients. If you know of any that have been missed out, please email our newsdesk at newsdesk@nne.co.uk

Those include Professor Carlos Silvestre Frenk, a Durham University scientist, who is one of the originators of the Cold Dark Matter theory for the formation of structure in the Universe, Allison White, a Newton Aycliffe cancer survivor who set up a support group and Faye Marsh, a Darlington council worker who has changed the lives of a countless number of children in their most vulnerable hours.

The King issues the honours list to publicly recognize and reward exceptional achievements, bravery, and selfless service to the nation. It is a centuries-old tradition that celebrates “extraordinary people” from all walks of life, including local community volunteers, charity workers, innovators, and public figures.

Here are 13 of the people from County Durham named on the King’s Birthday Honour List 2026:

Professor Sir Carlos Frenk (Image: DURHAM UNIVERSITY)

Professor Carlos Silvestre Frenk CBE FRS (Knighthood) Ogden Professor of Fundamental Physics, Durham University.
For services to Astrophysics and Cosmology – Durham
– Professor Frenk is one of the originators of the Cold Dark Matter theory for the formation of structure in the Universe. Working with scientists across the world he uses high-power supercomputers to build model universes, based on the known laws of physics. The techniques developed by Sir Carlos and his collaborators are now commonly used by cosmologists to explain the formation of the galaxies and other large-scale cosmic structures that we see in the Universe around us.

Rhiannon Jane Hiles (CBE) Chief Executive, Beamish Museum. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Rhiannon Jane Hiles (CBE) Chief Executive, Beamish Museum.
For services to Museums and to the Culture and Heritage of North East England – Durham

• Dr Colin Mark Richardson (OBE) – Assistant Professor, Northumbria University.
  For services to Firefighter Safety – Lanchester
•  Dr Martin Raby (OBE) – Principal and Chief Executive, The Northern School of Art, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool, North Yorkshire and County Durham.
  For services to Higher Education – Cleveland and County Durham
• John Michael Pearce (OBE) – Lately Director of Children’s Services, Durham County Council. For services to Children and Young People – Durham
• Sundas Khalid (MBE) – Co-Founder and Director, Association of South Asian Midwives.
  For services to Charity and Healthcare – Darlington

Graeme Black MBE (Image: GRAEME BLACK)

Graeme Michael Black (MBE) – Risk Advisory Assurance Lead, Department for Work and Pensions.
For services to Young People in the community of Durham – Chester-le-Street
– Graeme Black, who is a Business Ambassador with Durham Works and provides career coaching, enterprise sessions and various events for secondary school children has received a Member of the Most Excellent Order (MBE) award which he calls an “incredible privilege”.

•  Shirley Kathryn Smith (MBE) – Founder and Trustee, If U Care Share Foundation.
  For services to Suicide Prevention – Chester-le-Street
• Reuben Kench (MBE) – Chair, Stockton and Darlington Rail Heritage Partnership.
  For services to Heritage – Stockton and Darlington

Allison White who turned her own cancer diagnosis into action has been named in the King’s Birthday Honours list for a BEM. (Image: PROVIDED)

Allison White (BEM) – Founder, Great Aycliffe Cancer Support Group.
For services to Supporting People with Cancer (Aycliffe, County Durham)
– Allison White, was diagnosed with cancer back in 2009, and realised how lonely it can be. This fuelled her to set up the support group that provides transport for cancer patients to and from appointments, so they have that support system.

Faye Marsh (BEM) – Peer Mentor Manager, Darlington Borough Council. (Image: PROVIDED)

Faye Marsh (BEM) – Peer Mentor Manager, Darlington Borough Council.
For services to Children and Young People in County Durham – Spennymoor and Darlington
– Faye Marsh works for Darlington Council and has helped a countless amount of children across the region, going through the toughest as times. She said she was ‘shell shocked’ when she first realised she had been nominated.

PCSO Adrian Richards on patrol in Chester-le-Street (Image: DURHAM COSTABULARY)

 Adrian Richards (BEM) – Police Community Support Officer, Durham Constabulary.
For services to the community in Chester-le-Street, County Durham – Ferryhill
– Adrian Richards, a County Durham community police officer, has received a British Empire Medal (BEM) for his work in the community which he calls a “great achievement”. Mr Richards has held a free activity week for underprivileged families for two decades to address a rise in anti-social behaviour during the school summer holidays.

•  Richard Starrs (BEM) – Project Manager, Stockton and Darlington Railway Bicentenary.
  For services to Heritage – Stockton and Darlington

The King’s Birthday Honours this year also highlighted a wide range of national figures, led by rugby league great Kevin Sinfield, actress Dame Helen Mirren, and several of England’s Euro-winning Lionesses.

Sinfield was knighted for his extraordinary fundraising and advocacy for motor neurone disease, raising over £10 million inspired by his late teammate Rob Burrow, while six Lionesses, including Chloe Kelly and rising star Michelle Agyemang, received MBEs for their historic football triumph.

Dame Helen Mirren was appointed a Companion of Honour for her outstanding contribution to drama, as nearly 1,200 individuals across sport, arts, charity, and public life were recognised for their impact on British society.

Every effort has been made to include all of the North East and North Yorkshire recipients. If you know of any that have been missed out, please email our newsdesk at newsdesk@nne.co.uk

It doesn’t seem like that long ago that a string of famous faces were last being honoured, but King Charles III has once again decided who will receive the prestigious awards in the 2026 Birthday Honours list.

It acknowledges long-term volunteers, innovators, entrepreneurs, individuals displaying “moral courage”, those making a difference in their community or field of work or people improving life for others less able to help themselves, with the latest list acknowledging 1,182 recipients from every part of the UK.

Honours are given to people involved in a range of fields, including sport, health, science and technology, education, business, and the arts and media. Gallantry awards recognising bravery can also be given to members of the armed forces and the emergency services, as well as civilians.

They are awarded by the King following recommendations by the Prime Minister or senior government ministers. Members of the public can also recommend people for an award, with the nominations typically making up about a quarter of all recommendations.

And while every day heroes are recognised, those in the world of acting, music and sport are also given nods. But some big names have declined the award for various reasons.

Some did so due to their personal beliefs, others because they didn’t feel that the award was deserved. Below are some of the people who have declined an honour from the Royal family:

David Bowie

The Ziggy Stardust star was public about why he didn’t want to accept a knighthood. He said: “I would never have any intention of accepting anything like that. I seriously don’t know what it’s for. It’s not what I spent my life working for.”

On Sir Mick Jagger’s acceptance, Bowie maintained a diplomatic stance, saying: “It’s not my place to make a judgment on Jagger – it’s his decision. But it’s just not for me.”

Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders

The comedy double act were offered OBEs “for services to comedy drama” back in 2001, but declined them. Explaining why, Saunders later told Source magazine: “If I felt I deserved a damehood I’d accept it. At the time we felt that we were being paid very well to have a lot of fun. It didn’t seem right somehow. We didn’t deserve a pat on the back. It felt a bit fake to stand alongside people who devoted their lives to truly worthy causes.”

Nigella Lawson

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The iconic TV chef shared a similar reason for declining her OBE in 2001. She said: “I’m not saving lives and I’m not doing anything other than something I absolutely love.”

Stephen Hawking

The famous astrophysicist revealed in 2008 that he had been offered a knighthood in the 1990s, a higher honour than the CBE he held, but turned it down. While the exact reasons are not clear, it was suggested later that government funding cuts to science may have been a factor.

John Lennon

At first Lennon accepted an MBE, but decided to return it in 1969 as a stand against Britain’s foreign policy. He wrote: “Your Majesty, I am returning this in protest against Britain’s involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing, against our support of America in Vietnam, and against Cold Turkey slipping down the charts. With Love, John Lennon of Bag.”

George Harrison

In 2000, the former Beatle declined an OBE, not long after his fellow Beatles alumnus Paul McCartney was given a knighthood. The reason is not exactly clear, but some have suggested it was connected to McCartney receiving a knighthood.

“Whoever it was who decided to offer him the OBE and not the knighthood was extraordinarily insensitive,” Harrison’s mate Roy Connolly dished to the Independent. “George would have felt insulted – and with very good reason.”

Benjamin Zephaniah

Iconic poet, who died in December 2023 at the age of 65, made clear his reasons for publicly rejecting an OBE in 2003. He said he would decline the award in protest against British government policies and the British Empire.

Writing in the Guardian, he said how the word ’empire’, which is included in the title, “reminds me of slavery, it reminds of thousands of years of brutality, it reminds me of how my foremothers were raped and my forefathers brutalised”. Zephaniah described himself as “profoundly anti-empire”.

Michael Sheen

Star of screen and stage Michael Sheen was awarded an OBE in 2009. However in 2017 he made the decision to return the aware after researching the history between England and Wales.

In 2020, he told the Guardian’s Owen Jones: “By the time I had finished writing that lecture…I remember sitting there going: ‘Well, I have a choice – I either don’t give this lecture and hold on to my OBE or I give this lecture and I have to give my OBE back,’”

John Cleese

Monty Python star John Cleese was offered a CBE in 1996, but dismissed it as ‘silly’. In 1999 he was on the table for a peerage courtesy of Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown.

But Cleese was not keen as being a working peer would require him to overwinter in the UK. He described this as “too much of a price to pay”.

Paul Weller

The music legend politely declined a CBE in 2006. His representative noted in a statement: “Paul was surprised and flattered but it wasn’t really for him.”

Roald Dahl

The renowned children’s author, famous for enchanting tales such as ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and ‘James and the Giant Peach’, declined a knighthood offered in the 1986 New Year’s honours. The revelation came through a Telegraph freedom of information request, but the justification for his refusal wasn’t disclosed.

Bernie Ecclestone

The ex-chief of Formula One Group refused an honour in the early 2000s. In a 2019 interview, he explained that while he was pleased to have done some good, his primary motivation in business wasn’t to earn accolades, so he didn’t believe he deserved the honour.

Jon Snow

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The face that used to front Channel 4 News, not the Game of Thrones bloke. He gave a polite ‘no thanks’ to an OBE in 2000 and went full snoop two years later with a doc called Secrets of the Honours System. Snow said: “I tried to find out why I’d been given it and was unable to get a clear answer or, indeed, to find out who had proposed me,”.

Ken Loach

Director Ken Loach, who is famous for his gritty films on difficult subjects such as poverty, bid goodbye to an OBE in 1977. In 2001 he explained why to the Radio Times.

“It’s all the things I think are despicable: patronage, deferring to the monarchy, and the name of the British Empire, which is a monument of exploitation and conquest,” he said. “I turned down the OBE because it’s not a club you want to join when you look at the villains who’ve got it.”

Danny Boyle

Fellow director Danny Boyle had a different reason for turning down his award, which he was offered for his role in the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony. Explaining why, Boyle said he felt it “was wrong” for him to take credit for a collective effort, saying that “it’s not just me” and the ceremony was the result of the hard work and contributions of thousands of people.

“You can make these speeches about: ‘This is everybody’s work, blah blah blah’. And you’ve got to mean it, and I did mean it, and it is true, and it’s the only way you can carry on something like that: through the efforts of all the people. I don’t know whether I’ll ever get invited back to the palace.”

LS Lowry

The renowned painter is said to have rejected more honours than anyone else, including a knighthood, a CBE, and an OBE. His friend Harold Riley disclosed that Lowry was a private man who didn’t want the attention or to change his name, which played a part in his decision to turn down the honours.

Huw T Edwards

The Welsh trade unionist and Welsh Labour politician was uncomfortable with honours and refused a knighthood on at least two occasions in subsequent years. He had previously accepted an MBE before later renouncing it.

Rudyard Kipling

The writer and poet declined a knighthood in 1899 and again in 1903. His wife said that Kipling felt he could “do his work better without it”. Kipling also declined the Order of Merit in 1921 and again in 1924. Kipling expressed his own view on the importance of titles and poetry in his poem The Last Rhyme of True Thomas.

Honor Blackman

Before her death in 2020 the Bond actress was a vocal supporter of Republic, the campaign for an elected head of state in the UK – so it’s hardly surprising that she turned down a CBE in 2002.

Jim Broadbent

The national treasure snubbed an OBE in 2002, explaining that he couldn’t reconcile with actors receiving Royal accolades. “I think [honours] ought to go to those who really help others,” he mentioned in a chat with the Telegraph. “Besides I like the idea of actors not being part of the Establishment. We’re vagabonds and rogues.”

Broadbent also expressed his unease with the honours’ undercurrents, revealing: “I don’t think the British Empire is something that I particularly want to celebrate.”

Albert Finney

He shunned both a CBE in 1980 and a knighthood two decades later. The Bourne actor lambasted the honours system, terming knighthoods as a symptom of sickness that “perpetuates snobbery”.

Andrew Davies

The Welsh scriptwriter famed for House of Cards and his version of Pride and Prejudice, reportedly refused an honour, though his motives remain undisclosed.

Alan Rickman

The cherished actor is believed to have declined a CBE during his lifetime. He never disclosed why, and after his death, there has been a movement seeking to award him a knighthood posthumously, but no progress on this has emerged.

John Lydon

Otherwise known and Jonnie Rotten, the former Sex Pistols front man was offered an MBE. Given the band’s repertoire, including ‘God Save the Queen’, it’s no surprise he said no.

The village is only accessible by boat or via an 18-hour hike over mountains.

With World Cup fever strong this year as Scotland once again makes it to the group stages of the tournament after 28 years, the majority of Scots are wanting to catch a glimpse of the action – even if the first game does begin at 2am UK time.

Wanting to soak up the shared atmosphere of national pride and excitement, many people will be heading to late night pubs or watch parties to watch Scotland’s opening game against Haiti take place this weekend. And it seems even the most remote parts of the country are getting in on the action.

Thanks to Specsavers, which is the official eye and ear care partner of the Scottish Football Association, the remote village of Inverie has been given its very one fan zone so the locals don’t need to miss out on any of the football action.

Inverie is located in the Knoydart Peninsula in the West Highlands and is definitely not the easiest to get to. The only ways to access the village is either by boat or via an 18-hour hike over the mountains.

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This isn’t the first time that the village has gone the extra mile to watch the football as in 1978, ahead of the World Cup in Argentina, it was reported that 15 villagers dug up a four-mile trench and laid a cable in it just to ensure they could get a television signal to watch Scotland’s matches.

Now almost 50 years on, and nearly three decades since Scotland were in the group stages, Inverie has once again captured the same spirit, but with an extra helping hand this time around.

Specsaver has transformed the village hall into a big-screen fan zone to allow the community to come together and watch the matches. The 100-inch screen, along with a full-scale production setup, has been ferried across the peninsula just in time for the first match on Sunday morning.

With a population of just 100 people, the locals of Inverie will now be able to rally behind Steve Clarke in a shared moment many of them won’t forget.

In the lead up to the opening match, the event will also have complementary food and drink available, as well as some live music to help keep the party going into the wee hours of the morning.

This event will be a full circle moment for 66-year-old John Murdo Morrison as he was one of the locals who had dug uphill to set up the village aerial back in 1978.

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Only 18-years-old when he helped complete the mammoth task, he shared that he is feeling just as excited now as he did all those years ago.

John said: “What we did in 1978 was special and the whole village is excited to be watching Scotland at the World Cup for the first time in 28 years.

“We’re delighted to have Specsavers and their team here to set up the fan zone and we’re glad our digging days are behind us. It was an incredible and challenging experience but all worth it to watch Scotland at the World Cup in Argentina.”

He added: “Hopefully Steve Clarke and the team can do us proud in America.”

Specsavers’ Scottish divisional chair, Laura Baird, said: “It was inspiring to hear the story of John and the 15 villagers of Inverie from the 1978 World Cup. The lengths Scottish people are willing to go to watch our national team never ceases to amaze me and I just hope we’ve helped make things a little easier this time with our fan zone!”

Fruits and vegetables are an important part of our diet. They provide nutrients and fibre, and many contain additional compounds (known as bioactives) that can improve health. But not all foods are created equal – with big differences in the amount of bioactives we get from cabbages, carrots, pulses and peppers.

The well-known “five-a-day” campaign forms the basis of current dietary recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption. The campaign focuses mainly on reminding people to consume at least five portions of fruits or vegetables each day.

This is a sensible approach, because it’s always better to eat some fruits and vegetables instead of none. But could we do better? Could choosing fruits and vegetables more carefully help us to get important bioactives from our foods?

My latest research suggests this is the case. We found that following current dietary recommendations might not be good enough when it comes to getting these important, health-boosting bioactive compounds from fruits and veggies. This could have particularly important implications for heart health.

In the study my colleagues and I conducted, we specifically investigated flavanols. This group of bioactive compounds are found in many plant-based foods, including tea, apples and berries.

Flavanols have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease. About 500mg of flavanols per day are enough for most people to see health benefits from flavanols.

We wanted to find how many people eat at least 500mg of flavanols per day – and whether these are the people who eat their five-a-day and follow dietary recommendations.

To do this, we did not rely on food diaries or dietary questionnaires – methods that are known to be unreliable. People often forget what they’ve eaten, and the flavanol content in food is very variable.

Instead, we measured flavanol intake directly, using a biomarker in urine that reflects what the body actually absorbed. We did this in around 30,000 participants across two large studies in the UK and the US.

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A whole new way of doing nutrition research

Our findings revealed there was good and bad news. The good news was that it’s perfectly possible to get 500mg of flavanols per day from a normal diet. The bad news was that fewer than one in five participants actually did this – even among those who ate their five a day.

This is not surprising. Many fruits and vegetables do not contain a lot of flavanols. Cauliflower, carrots or cucumber, for instance, don’t contain any, while mangoes, medlars and kiwis only very small amounts. When choosing a random selection of five fruits or vegetables, it’s very unlikely that they’ll add up to 500mg a day.

Another surprising result was that there was a big difference between participants in the US and UK.

US participants were more likely to get their daily flavanol intake if they followed US dietary recommendations (which are similar to the UK’s fruit and veg recommendations) – although only one in five did so. Around 20% of US participants consumed 500mg of flavanols daily.

But in the UK, the opposite was true. Only about 10% of those who consumed their recommended five portions a day also consumed 500mg of flavanols. Yet this number was closer to 20% in those who did not follow these recommendations.

We also found that those who reported eating the smallest amount of fruits and vegetables daily had the higher flavanol intake.

There may be a couple of key reasons for these findings.

There are some key differences between the two studies: the UK participants came from the Epic Norfolk study, which was designed to be representative of the general public. The baseline diet data we used was collected in the 1990s. In contrast, the US participants of the Cosmos study were recruited in the 2010s and generally had a better diet than the population average.

But if we look at just the UK cohort alone, the explanation for the disparities in flavanol intake can be found in a cup of tea. Literally.

Tea is a great source of flavanols, and a few cups of tea daily can already provide 200-300mg. In a country where tea is a staple, this can make an important contribution. It’s not surprising that the UK has one of the highest flavanol intakes in Europe.

In countries where coffee is the staple drink – such as the US – tea consumption is often associated with an overall healthier diet. But this is not the case in the UK, where tea is not a marker of a particular healthy – or unhealthy – lifestyle. Indeed, people with high tea consumption don’t eat more fruits and vegetables than others.

Although tea is not part of any dietary recommendations, it may be the main driver for flavanol intake in the UK. This means that a good cup of tea may do more for flavanol intake than a randomly chosen portion of fruit or veg.

What does this mean?

People who follow current dietary recommendations are unlikely to consume a sufficient amount of flavanols. It’s likely the same applies to other bioactives, such as carotenoids, (which can support vision).

There’s also huge variability in the bioactive content of different fruits and vegetables. A random selection of five fruits and veg each day is unlikely to provide meaningful amounts.

This isn’t surprising, as bioactives are generally not part of dietary recommendations. But our increasing understanding of the important role of bioactives in disease prevention and public health raises the question of whether this should change.

Five-a-day guidance continues to be an important dietary recommendation, especially as most of us do not eat enough fruits and vegetables. But as we learn more about the benefits of different plant compounds, we should consider prioritising consumption of certain fruits and vegetable daily to increase intake of these compounds. Whether you manage two portions or five, choosing wisely makes a difference.

The 2026 list celebrates dozens of people from across County Durham, Teesside, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear whose work has had a lasting impact on their communities.

Leading the regional honours is Durham University cosmologist Professor Carlos Frenk, who has been knighted for services to astrophysics and cosmology.

Professor Sir Carlos Frenk (Image: DURHAM UNIVERSITY)

Sir Carlos, one of the architects of the Cold Dark Matter theory, said: “To be knighted by His Majesty The King is a tremendous honour and to say that I am overjoyed is an understatement.

“I am hugely grateful to my wife, Susan, and my family, my colleagues and students, and to Durham University, all of whom have given me unconditional support over the years, without which this would have never happened.

“As a teenager I remember being captivated by a night sky alight with stars and I knew then that I wanted to spend my life understanding its origins.

“To have been able to do that, working alongside some of the world’s most talented scientists, has been the greatest privilege.”

The honours also recognise people whose work has been driven by deeply personal experiences.

Allison White who turned her own cancer diagnosis into action has been named in the King’s Birthday Honours list for a BEM. (Image: PROVIDED)

Newton Aycliffe’s Allison White receives a British Empire Medal (BEM) after turning her own leukaemia diagnosis into the Great Aycliffe Cancer Support Group, which now helps thousands of people across County Durham, Darlington and North Yorkshire.

She said: “It still doesn’t feel real. When I got the letter I think I went into total shock. It is amazing really, volunteering for 12 years is a long time and a lot of work so I am just so proud of everyone involved that has brought us to this moment.

“We don’t do it for recognition, we have helped thousands of people, we just do it to help.

“But this has definitely been a true honour and put a bit of spark back into us I think.”

Faye Marsh (BEM) – Peer Mentor Manager, Darlington Borough Council. (Image: PROVIDED)

Another BEM recipient, Darlington Borough Council’s Faye Marsh, has spent a quarter of a century supporting vulnerable children and young people.

After learning of the award, she said: “I kept re-reading it over and over as I was shell shocked and just so humbled by it all.

“To do a job for 25 years that you love it feels nice to take that praise but also so emotional. I was, and remain, truly humbled to receive this honour.”

Graeme Black MBE (Image: GRAEME BLACK)

Among those receiving MBEs is Graeme Black from Chester-le-Street for his work supporting young people into employment through Durham Works.

He described the honour as “an incredible privilege”, adding: “Having the opportunity to be a business ambassador in my local community, to be able to guide and support our younger generation in bridging the gap between education and the local labour market is massively rewarding.”

Northumbria University’s Nigel Coates has also been recognised with an MBE after founding the institution’s pioneering Business Clinic, linking thousands of students with real-world consultancy projects.

He said: “I am genuinely overwhelmed – and utterly surprised – to receive this MBE.

“It is an honour I hold with enormous pride. But this award does not belong to me alone.

“Everything we achieved at the Business Clinic was down to a truly wonderful team whom I had the great privilege of leading.”

The honours list also celebrates decades of dedication to preserving the region’s history.

Geoff Hill has been awarded a BEM for his tireless work commemorating the airmen of RAF Middleton St George and safeguarding aviation heritage.

“I didn’t ever expect to get an award because I do what I do to commemorate all the lads and lasses who served and lost their lives, so it is a great honour and privilege for me,” he said.

Richard Starrs (far right) recognised for his role in the Stockton and Darlington Railway bicentenary (Image: DARLINGTON COUNCIL)

Heritage is another recurring theme across this year’s list, with Richard Starrs recognised for his role in the Stockton and Darlington Railway bicentenary and Reuben Kench honoured for his contribution to rail preservation.

Elsewhere, Beamish Museum chief executive Rhiannon Hiles receives a CBE for services to museums and culture, while Sunderland South’s former MP Chris Mullin has been knighted for political and public service.

Rhiannon Jane Hiles (CBE) Chief Executive, Beamish Museum. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

The honours also recognise leaders in healthcare, education and public service, including Halo Project chief executive Yasmin Khan, NHS North East and North Cumbria chief executive Samantha Allen, former Durham children’s services director John Pearce, Northumbria University’s Dr Colin Richardson and Northern School of Art principal Dr Martin Raby.

In total, 1182 recipients have been awarded this year for their exceptional achievements, with a particular focus on recognising community change-makers.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Across the UK, people are quietly changing lives and strengthening their communities. This Honours List is a chance to recognise them.

 “Their dedication shows how lasting change is built – through compassion, resilience and a commitment to others.

 “It speaks to the decent, hopeful country we are proud to be, and on behalf of the whole nation, I want to say thank you.”

The King’s Birthday Honours this year also highlighted a wide range of national figures, led by rugby league great Kevin Sinfield, actress Dame Helen Mirren, and several of England’s Euro-winning Lionesses.

Sinfield was knighted for his extraordinary fundraising and advocacy for motor neurone disease, raising over £10 million inspired by his late teammate Rob Burrow, while six Lionesses, including Chloe Kelly and rising star Michelle Agyemang, received MBEs for their historic football triumph.

Dame Helen Mirren was appointed a Companion of Honour for her outstanding contribution to drama, as nearly 1,200 individuals across sport, arts, charity, and public life were recognised for their impact on British society.

Keep checking The Northern Echo’s website tomorrow morning for extended profiles and interviews with some of the North East winners.

Every effort has been made to include all of the North East and North Yorkshire recipients. If you know of any that have been missed out, please email our newsdesk at newsdesk@nne.co.uk

The Cross Keys in Thixendale, which dates back at least to 1793, is popular with walkers, including those on the Wolds Way.

The CAMRA award winning business closed when proprietors Steve and Mary Anstey retired after many years in charge.

However, the pub has now been bought by two local residents Simon Wood and Gordon McIlroy.

They said the aim was to bring the pub and community back together.

“A full refurbishment of the pub, kitchen, garden and accommodation is in process and the pub will open on Friday 12 June, with a full range of draft beers, lager, cider, and Guinness, with a food menu, starting soon.

“Coffee, cakes and savouries will also be available during the weekend days.

“Three letting rooms will also soon be available once refurbished, offering bed and breakfast on site at the pub. The beer garden will also open soon.

” We hope the local villagers and visitors to Thixendale and the Wolds Way, will enjoy their time at the Cross Keys.”

The Cross Keys is open Wednesday to Friday, 5 – 11pm, Saturday, 12noon to 11pm and Sunday, 12noon to 5pm.

Katie Tinkler revealed how an experimental treatment for lupus has changed her life as trials showed this therapy put the condition into remission

An experimental treatment on the NHS, with “groundbreaking” findings, has put the lupus disease into remission, trials in the UK have shown.

For the first time in the UK, people with severe lupus have been treated with CAR T-cell therapy, which experts believe may also work for illnesses such as multiple sclerosis. This therapy, which only needs to be given to someone once, could revolutionise treatment and remove the need for lifelong medication. One of the first patients to receive the treatment, Katie Tinkler, said life before and after was “like night and day”.

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks healthy tissues, causing widespread inflammation and damage to organs such as the kidneys, lungs and heart.

CAR T-cell therapy works by genetically modifying cells to allow the body’s own immune system to recognise and attack problem cells. Until now, this therapy has only been offered to cancer patients on the NHS. In the new NHS trial, led by University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) and University College London (UCL), five out of six patients with severe lupus went into remission within a few months of receiving CAR-T.

Katie Tinkler said she forced to leave her job as a fitness instructor because of debilitating pain and fatigue caused by severe lupus, which she has suffered with since she was 20. The condition also caused Katie to deal with swollen and painful joints, kidney damage that meant she was close to needing dialysis, lung and heart disease, and a tendency to develop blood clots.

She also suffered sepsis and multi-organ failure due to lupus, and was put in a coma in intensive care. Now, the 52-year-old from Guildford, Surrey, who is married and has three children, is in remission thanks to CAR-T she had at UCLH.

Katie said: “Thinking about how life was for beforehand and how it is now, it’s like night and day. My whole system was affected by lupus and my joints were so painful that sometimes I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t use my hands to pick up mugs. My kidneys, heart and lungs were all getting worse. But now I don’t have these problems any more.”

The 52-year-old revealed that she is now able to do certain things that her condition stopped her from doing, which included going on a ski trip for the first time in 10 years and dancing at her daughter’s wedding. She said: “My youngest child, he’s 20 this year, so for 10 years now he can’t remember me previously. My children can’t remember me participating in things before now.”

Katie has been able to come off all steroid treatment and the other cocktail of drugs that were keeping her alive. She now takes just two tablets a day to prevent blood clots and keep her blood pressure low. She said: “It’s miraculous for me. My life two years ago versus now, it’s unrecognisable.”

Around 69,000 people in the UK are thought to have the condition, which mostly affects women. The new study enrolled nine patients with active, severe disease who had not responded to multiple treatments for lupus. Six patients received a lower dose of CAR-T while three were given a higher dose so results could be compared.

After infusion, patients showed strong expansion of CAR-T cells and deep depletion of problem B cells. Over time, B cells began to return, typically between three and six months, but were predominantly early-stage cells, rather than the more mature populations associated with causing issues in lupus.

Researchers said the findings show that the therapy may be enabling an “immune reset,” rather than just suppressing the immune system – which is an important objective in treating autoimmune diseases.

Professor Karl Peggs, director of UCLH’s biomedical research centre, said CAR-T could offer people the chance of a cure, although bigger studies were needed. He said: “These findings are truly groundbreaking and offer fresh hope to people living with lupus.

“While more research is needed, the possibility that CAR T-cell therapy could deliver an immune reset and potentially free patients from the cycle of chronic autoimmune disease marks a remarkable step forward. If these results are confirmed in larger studies, the prospect of a cure for lupus may no longer be out of reach.”

By Jeremy Armstrong in Kansas City

Two of England’s most loyal fans have offered a US ‘survival’ guide for our supporters. Andy Milne, 63, and Garford Beck, 64, have attended 20 World Cups between them. Andy, of Northwich, Cheshire, became so famous after being spotted in the England crowd at Qatar with a replica of the Jules Rimet trophy that he was nicknamed ‘That World Cup Guy’.

He has just released a book of the same name based on his travels to nine previous tournaments. Garford, 64, of London, also at his 10th World Cup, will feature in ITV adverts seen by millions during commercial breaks of their coverage. This follows the Mirror’s report on his incredible exploits following England around the world.

Andy first travelled to Spain for the 1982 World Cup – and kept going even after all his belongings were stolen. He said: “In the early days I had to save money. For Germany in 2006, I had a mattress in the back of the car and I used to sleep in that. I would drive to a campsite to wash my clothes there and have a shower every morning because it was very hot.

“I didn’t take a sleeping bag, I just had a thick double duvet. Later on, I would travel with a tent.” Andy, who put his second £350,000 home on the market to fund his trip to the US, added: “If I couldn’t camp then I would use an Airbnb with mates.”

Garford, a civil servant, still has an England ticket from 1973 autographed by Alan Ball and memorabilia from a lifetime of following England. He said: “My first game was against England in 1972 with my dad and looking back it was the beginning of the end for Sir Alf Ramsey.

“That shows how long I have been a fan! Nowadays I would advise fans to keep in touch on social media, team up with people on the road where and look at cheap modes of transport and accommodation. On the first night in Samara, Russia, at the 2018 World Cup, we ended up in a school dorm. Then FIFA laid on a free train.

“In America, I am going to take a Greyhound bus from Dallas to Boston which will take 40 hours. It is £135 with three changes but it will be a real experience and give me time to think and see parts of America that I would never have seen otherwise.

“You leave at 3.15am which may not be very comfortable, but I am going to Nashville and New York before Boston, and through Memphis, Jackson, Knoxville, and Charlottesville. That is what you will remember: the places and the people.”