Yorkshire heroes recognised in King's honours list

Former rugby league star turned fundraiser Kevin Sinfield leads a list of people across Yorkshire to be recognised in the King's Birthday Honours.

The ex-Leeds Rhinos player has been awarded a knighthood for services to Rugby League, Rugby Union and the MND Community.

Among the list of more than 80 others to be recognised are foster carers, a policeman, a dog charity founder and a paralympic badminton coach.

In total nearly 1,200 people from across the UK received honours in the latest list, with Sir Keir Starmr saying their dedication "speaks to the decent, hopeful country we are proud to be".

Sir Kevin's fundraising was inspired by his former teammate Rob Burrow, who died in 2024 after living with motor neurone disease (MND) for four-and-a-half years.

The former England rugby league captain, who has so far raised more than £11m for MND charities, said: "I am particularly proud to follow in the footsteps of the great Sir Billy Boston with rugby league's second-ever knighthood in over 130 years of the sport."

Earlier this week Sir Kevin, 45, announced his seventh and final endurance challenge in support of MND charities, with each challenge based around the number seven, the number Burrow wore in his playing days.

Among those receiving an OBE is Catherine Handcock, 62, from York, who has championed UK hairdressing for 40 years and founded media brand and magazine Creative HEAD, aimed at the hairdressing industry.

She was awarded for services to the Hairdressing Industry and Entrepreneurship.

Handcock said: "I'm unbelievably proud and very excited because it's recognition for hairdressing as well, which is something that I've campaigned for throughout my career.

"Hairdressing is often overlooked and undervalued and I can talk for hours on this subject."

She said when she found out about the honour she "nearly fell off my chair," addig: "I mean it's just like this incredible, it's like being supercharged with electricity it really is."

Barrie Stephenson, one of the co-founders of the York charity, Restore, has been awarded an MBE for services to people experiencing homelessness in the city.

He said: "I am deeply humbled by this award. It is not just for me, it's for everyone who has made Restore the success it is today.

"Restore has exceeded all my expectations and it is down to the dedicated staff and trustees who have given so much to bring this about.

"I may be the only person who has been with the charity from its inception, but I have worked with so many others who should share this honour, especially Ed Hambleton, our co-founder, who gave up a secure job to pioneer Restore with me."

Hull College vice principal Catherine Sykes has been awarded an MBE for services to further education.

Reacting to the news, she said: "Receiving news of this honour was completely unexpected and incredibly humbling.

"I am both deeply honoured and immensely proud to be recognised in this way.

"While this honour bears my name, it reflects the collective efforts of so many people who have supported and inspired me along the way."

Jamie Lewis, from Beverley, who is the CEO of HEY Smile Foundation, which looks after about 2,000 charities across Hull and East Yorkshire, was awarded an MBE for voluntary services to the community.

Lewis, who grew up in care and was on the streets when he was 15, said: "Charities have always helped me, so I really see the benefit of how they keep people alive."

Jayne Nendick, from Hull, was also awarded an MBE for her services to the community in Withernsea and South East Holderness.

Nendick is the CEO for the Southern Holderness Resource Centre, known as Shores, which offers a range of services, including running a food bank and digital skills training.

She said: "I just consider myself a very lucky lass to be surrounded by amazing individuals for the last 21 years. I feel very privileged I've had those people in my life and it's led to this point."

In South Yorkshire, Richard Mark Morris, 36, was awarded an MBE for services to sport and disabled people.

Morris has been involved in the development and promotion of Para Badminton since 2012, serving as the current Head of GB Para Badminton and is recognised globally as an innovative coach who created a world-class training environment in Sheffield.

The Cabinet Office said Morris learned to play badminton in a sports wheelchair to improve his understanding of the sport and the players' experience and, due to limited funding, coached the GB Para Badminton squad for six months without payment.

In Bradford Leonard Pattison, 80, and his wife Pamela, 82, were both awarded the MBE.

A spokesperson for the Cabinet Office said the pair had "provided a safe, loving home to over 100 children during their 34-year fostering career, approaching their role with empathy, compassion, and love".

The spokesperson added: "They instilled positive outcomes and remain a part of the children's extended family, with many young adults and their children referring to them as "mum and dad" or "grandparents".

Among the other recipients from the Yorkshire region are the actress who played Emmerdale's Mandy Dingle, Lisa Riley.

Riley from Leeds was awarded an MBE for services to drama and to charity.

Elsewhere, Lisette Van Riel, from Pontefract, received an BEM for services to Animal Welfare Charities.

Lisette pioneered the non-profit enterprise DoggyLottery in 2020, an online rotating charity lottery designed to raise money for dog charities.

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."

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