BASW celebrates recognition of social work in King’s Birthday Honours List 2023

This year’s awards celebrate recipients who have made an exceptional contribution to their community and public life and undertaken voluntary services.

BASW warmly congratulates all those from social work and social care who have been awarded honours. Thank you for your hard work and outstanding dedication.

Special congratulations to longstanding BASW member and recently appointment member of BASW Council, Angela Frazer-Wicks who was awarded an MBE for services to Children and Families, to former BASW Northern Ireland Chair, Marcella Leonard who was awarded an MBE for services to Social Work in Northern Ireland and Internationally and to Jennifer Cross who was a social worker at London Borough of Greenwhich for over 40 years and was awarded an MBE for services to the Administration of Justice and to the community of Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

Angela Frazer-Wicks MBE is Chair of Family Rights Group, a member of BASW 80/20 Steering Group and newly appointed member of BASW Council. Angela is a birth mum, her eldest two children were adopted back in 2004 predominantly due to domestic abuse. She has a daughter with no local authority involvement. In 2020 she reconnected with her eldest son. She has campaigned for many years for the voices of those with lived experience to feed into system design and implementation.

Commenting on her award, Angela said, "I am completely blown away. A birth mum with an MBE! I am incredibly proud. I think it shows a real shift in the way the system, and now wider society, sees birth families. For so long we were seen as part of the problem, somehow to blame for our own misfortune, when often we were vulnerable and in desperate need of support. I am so pleased that we are now finally being seen as part of the solution. We have so much to offer and so much knowledge to share. I hope we start to see more birth parents being recognised in this way for their valuable contributions to system change".

Marcella Leonard has over 30 years’ experience in the areas of psychosexual therapy, child and public protection. She is a highly-regarded trainer, working in Northern Ireland, across the UK and internationally in assisting practitioners in their work in assessing and managing sexual and violent risk to children. Dedicated to promoting the interests of the profession and committed to public service, Marcella served as Chair of the Northern Ireland Association of Social Workers (now British Association of Social Workers Northern Ireland) from 2014 – 2018 and was Co-ordinator of the Public Protection Arrangements for Northern Ireland from 2010 – 2014. Marcella is a frequent contributor to local and national media outlets on the topics of child protection and managing public risk and is currently undertaking a review of the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference process in Northern Ireland.

Jennifer Cross was a Senior Practice Manager, Approved Mental Health Professional and member of the Emergency Out-of-Hours Duty Team (EDT) following her long career as a social worker. For a number of years she was a part-time tutor on the Diploma in Social Work Course, at Croydon then at Bromley College of Further and Higher Education/Greenwich University and also a freelance Practice Teacher for social work students responsible for students students taking the post professional qualification to be warranted as an AMHP. She was also a magistrate for 25 years and a trustee of Tunbridge Wells Citizen’s Advice .

Numerous individuals and a broad range of achievements in social work and social care from across the UK have been recognised this year. This includes foster carers, social care staff and those in the voluntary sector.

We have listed some below (please contact us if we have missed a recipient from the social work community).

  • Beverley Ann Halligan (Principal Social Worker, Children and Families, London Borough of Newham) Officer of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Social Care.
  • Anne Margaret Turner (Director of Children's Safeguarding and Social Work, London Borough of Camden) Officer of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Children’s Social Work.
  • David John Stallard Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Mental Health in the Scottish Highlands
  • David Alfred Baker (Foster Carer, Plymouth City Council) Member of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Children
  • Vivienne Patricia Baker (Foster Carer, Plymouth City Council) Member of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Children
  • Andrew James Daniels (Foster Carer, Credo Care) Member of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Children with Disabilities
  • David Upjohn (Foster Carer, Credo Care) Member of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Children with Disabilities
  • Clenton Anthony Farquharson (Associate and lately Chair, Think Local Act Personal) Commander of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Disability Personalisation, to Social Care and to Health Policy
  • Zoe Jane Fry (Director, The Outstanding Society) Officer of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Social Care and Nursing.
  • Dr Carol Lee Tozer (Lately Director, Adult Social Services, Isle of Wight Council and Trustee, Association of Directors of Adult Social Services) Officer of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Social Care.
  • Barbara Ann Johnson (Director of Nursing, Risedale Estates Ltd) Member of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Social Care.
  • Patricia Joyce Longdon (Chair, Strategic Lay Forum, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust) Member of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Health and Social Care.
  • Damian Benedict Nolan (Divisional Manager, Adult Social Care Services, Halton Borough Council) Member of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Adult Social Care.
  • Paul Colin Kirby (Quality Improvement Adviser, Care Quality Commission) Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Health and Social Care.
  • Margaret Mary Rooney (Business Support Officer, Patient and Client Support Services, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust) Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Health and Social Care.
  • Katy Turner (Lately Senior Carer, Caring Connections) Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Social Care during Covid-19
  • Penelope Jane Kenway (Director of Early Intervention and Prevention, London Borough of Islington) Member of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Early Years Children and Families
  • Dr Amarjit Raju (Chief Executive, Disability Direct) Officer of the Order of the British Empire for Services to People with Disabilities, to Carers and to Mental Health
  • Dr Nihara Sonali Krause (Founder and Chief Executive, Stem4) Member of the Order of the British Empire for Services to the Mental Health of Young People
  • Janice Kathleen Moore (Senior Psychosocial Practitioner, British Red Cross) Member of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Mental Health.
  • William Peter Upham (Executive Director, Growing Space) Member of the Order of the British Empire for Services to Mental Health in Newport, Wales

The full Birthday Honours List can be viewed here.