A FORMER Lord Mayor of York, York Minster’s director of development, and two leading education figures are among those from this region to be named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours today.

Dr Alison Birkinshaw, the principal of York College, is made an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to higher education, while Coun David Horton, 70, and Dr Richard Shephard are both made Members of the British Empire (MBE), the former for services to the community in York and the latter for services to music and education.

Lesley Booth, the head of lifelong learning at the University of York, is also been made an MBE for services to higher education.

Dr Birkinshaw, said: “Receiving recognition of this sort is a terrific honour and privilege. I have worked in colleges since 1984 and consider myself extremely lucky to have been able to learn from and work with inspirational students and colleagues.

“I know that the staff who work in further education are extremely committed to ensuring that their students succeed as well as they possibly can, and each member of staff will have changed the lives of hundreds of people, of all ages.

“I am particularly lucky to be principal of York College where I can see very high-quality education and training taking place every day and know what a difference this makes.”

She said she had been able to raise awareness nationally of the value of further education, and said the OBE was “the icing on the cake” for a career she loved.

Mrs Booth, who has worked at the centre for lifelong learning for 15 years, said: “I feel like a child at Christmas time; I’m very honoured.

“It’s not just a recognition for me, but for all the work that the centre has done in raising aspirations in deprived communities.”

Coun Horton has been a York councillor since 1986 and was Lord Mayor in 2002/3 and again in 2011/12, overseeing the Queen’s Maundy Thursday visit to York.

He said: “The award has come out of the blue. I was completely taken aback to be honest, but I am chuffed to bits.”

Over the years, Coun Horton has also contributed and supported numerous local and national charities and encouraged others to help or donate to ensure that fundraising targets are exceeded.

He has also been a voluntary guide at York’s Mansion House, a governor of Copmanthorpe Junior School and an active member of the committee which organises the community carol concert. Dr Shephard, 62, has achieved much recognition in the civic, choral and music worlds for his unstinting and considerable contributions to music education and training over many years.

He is well-known as a composer of choral music, as a prolific conductor and as an educationalist, having been director of music and deputy head of Salisbury Cathedral School and then head of York Minster School.

He said: “I was completely surprised when I found out and I remain completely surprised now.

“It will be a great day when I receive the honour and rather awe-inspiring especially in this particular year, given the Queen’s visit to the city in April.”

Others from York, North and East Yorkshire to be made an MBE are:

• Professor John Adams. Vice-president, National Governors’ Association and School Governor, Harrogate High School. For services to education.

• Kenneth Reginald Allinson. Chief executive, Richmond YMCA. For services to young people in Richmond.

• Keith Chapman. WorldSkills Ambassador for Landscape Gardening at London 2011 and Founder, Keith Chapman Landscapes. For services to skills in North Yorkshire.

• Harry Woodhead. For services to the community in Thirsk.

The following will receive the British Empire Medal (BEM):

• John Allison. For voluntary service to the Royal Air Forces Association in North Yorkshire

• Jennifer Gresley Gibbons. For services to the community in Haxby.

• Alan Leslie Hornby. For services to the community in Kirk Hammerton.

• Harold Mason. For services to the community in Rawcliffe, East Yorkshire.

• Douglas Atkinson Raine. For services to the community in Sandsend, North Yorkshire.