Cyclists Jason and Laura Kenny were among the members of Team GB recognised with New Year honours, becoming a knight and dame.
Sir Jason won nine Olympic medals in Japan including seven golds, making him Britain’s most successful Olympic athlete. Dame Laura won two medals, taking her total of Olympic medals to six, including five golds, putting her at the top of the list of medal-winning female British Olympians.
On her Instagram account, Dame Laura, posted: “Still not quite sure what to write this morning. I feel so incredibly proud to be given the honour of Dame. What I do on a daily basis, riding my bike, never really feels like a job. I feel so lucky that this has been the case for my entire career. There is a whole team of people behind me that make all of this possible. I am grateful and thankful to all of them, especially to Albie [their son] for making sure my feet are kept firmly on the ground!
“I am also incredibly proud of my wonderful Husband @jasonkenny107. Or shall i say Sir Jason Kenny, who I’m lucky enough to share all the best experiences with. Happy New Year!”
The couple, who were married by Fr John Dale at St Alban’s Catholic church in Macclesfield in September 2016, were the first husband-and-wife couple to be recognised in the same honours.
The former Labour MP for Leeds West, Sir John Battle, pro chancellor of Leeds Trinity University since 2017, who serves on the Board of Citizens UK and co-chairs Leeds Citizens and who is a committed Catholic and is chair of the Diocese of Leeds Justice and Peace Commission, was recognised with a knighthood.
Raymond Friel, chief executive of Caritas Social Action Network, was recognised for his services to education with an OBE following his areer of nearly 30 years in education.
Friel, who started teaching in St Charles Catholic Sixth Form College, London, in 1990, was a head teacher in Catholic secondary schools from 2002 until 2016.
During that time, he was a national leader of education and supported other schools as well as his own. In 2016, he took up the post of general secretary of the Catholic Independent Schools’ Conference, developing a programme of formation for aspiring leaders and building up learning networks for the schools.
In 2018, he became chief executive of Plymouth CAST, a multi-academy trust of thirty-six Catholic schools, and in 2020 became interim chief executive of the Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust.
His books Catholic education include How to Survive in Leadership in a Catholic School. His latest book, Formation of the Heart: the Why and How of being a Catholic Today, is due to be published this year by Redemptorist Publications. He is also a literary editor and published poet. In 2021, he was appointed chief executive of CSAN, the official Catholic national agency tackling poverty and injustice in England and Wales, working with 54 Catholic grass roots charities.
Bishop Terence Drainey, chair of CSAN, said: “It is with real joy and pride that I congratulate Raymond on receiving the OBE. He has contributed so much to Catholic education and to the wider sphere. He has always offered his expertise and talents for the good of all involved in education and I am very grateful that he brings all those gifts with him into the charitable sector via CSAN.”
Friel said: “It is an honour to be recognised for my service to Catholic education. I have to thank my family and everybody I’ve worked with in Catholic education over the years. It has always been a team effort. For an award of this kind to go to a Catholic educator shows just how far we have come as a community.”
Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald was awarded an OBE for services to interfaith and interchurch partnerships.
Sister Margaret Harlock, of the Congregation of La Retraite, chair of governors at St Brendan’s Sixth Form College, Bristol was awarded MBE for services to further education.
Support staff and volunteers have also been recognised with the British Empire Medal, including Julia Baines, a teaching assistant at St Margaret Clitherow Catholic primary school in Bracknell, for services to education for people with special educational needs and disabilities.
Evelyn Cosgrove, former principal of St Mary’s Catholic school in Newry, was awarded OBE.
Former Birkenhead MP Frank Field, a member of the Church of England, was recognised as Companion of Honour.
Separate from the New Year honours, Sir Tony Blair, former prime minister, was appointed a member of the Order of the Garter, along with the Duchess of Cornwall. and Baroness Amos.
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