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Charity president Lord Kirkham awarded KCVO in 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours
We would like to congratulate our charity president, the Lord Kirkham, for being recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list and being promoted to a Knighthood of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO).
The award was made in recognition of Lord Kirkham’s contribution to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which he supported in various capacities for 30 years, including almost 15 years in a unique post involving both the DofE Award International and the UK Award, and more recently over a decade as chair of trustees of the UK Award.
Lord Kirkham said: “I am hugely honoured and thrilled to have been promoted to a Knighthood of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list announced today. This is a particularly special award as it is in the personal gift of Her Majesty The Queen, and I have cherished my membership of the Order as a Commander (CVO) since 2001.
“During these years I was privileged to spend much time in the company of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, as the very hands-on Founder and Patron of the Award. Among his many achievements, remembered when marking the 100th anniversary of his birth yesterday, surely none was greater than the creation of this Award, which has transformed the lives of many millions of young people, particularly those from less privileged backgrounds, in the UK and around the world.
“It has been the greatest privilege of my own life to help young people overcome disadvantages and enjoy fuller and more fulfilled lives by building their resilience, self-confidence and teamworking capabilities through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Outward Bound. Both owed their existence to Prince Philip and I am very proud to accept this honour in his memory.”