The founders of the Albert Kennedy Trust and Manchester’s Active voices are among those recognized in this year’s Queen’s Birthday honours.
Seventy seven year old Mrs Catherine Rae Johnson from Urmston, the Founder of Albert Kennedy Trust for services to Homeless Young Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered People receives the MBE.
Her courage and initiative in founding the Albert Kennedy Trust (AKT) in 1989 has broken new ground for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGB&T) people nationally, changed the lives of thousands of vulnerable young people and brought the issues faced by homeless LGB&T youth to prominence.
She became involved with Gay Youth Manchester and then set up Manchester Parents’ Group. This continues to support parents of LGB&T children to build positive family relationships and has had a significant impact locally.
In the face of negative publicity and opposition, she inspired and motivated others to help make AKT a reality, giving hours after work to organising the first placements and dedicating enormous effort to promoting the organisation’s work and raising funds. From its early days with just a few volunteers, the trust has recently celebrated 25 years of hard work and progress on these issues. She served as a trustee of the charity for ten years, and her involvement continues in the role of Founder Patron as she advises the Chief Executive and supports many AKT events.
Fifty year old Angela Lawrence from Stretford, Founder and Executive Director, Manchester Active Voices is rewarded with an MBE for services to Tackling Gang and Youth Violence.
Following an escalation in gun crime in Manchester in the 1990’s, she helped to set up ‘Mothers Against Violence’, a voluntary organisation in 1999.
Through this organisation she devoted her time to provide mentoring, counselling and rehabilitative support to young people and families affected by gun crime, including advice on exiting the gang lifestyle, helping to reduce young people’s exposure to gun related violence.
In 2009, she took her personal commitment further and founded ‘Manchester Active Voices’ to engage and empower young people, particularly vulnerable young women, in order to help them become positive members of their community.
She also developed a programme of work in partnership with the Manchester City South Housing Trust, to support young people aged between 18-24 living within housing estates in the area to increase their employability skills.
Her majesty has also recognized the services of Wellcome Trust Engagement Fellow and University of Manchester Dr Erinma Eke Ouchu for services to Public Engagement in Science, Engineering and Technology
Either in a professional capacity or as a volunteer she writes, produces and organises creative initiatives to engage people of all ages and from all circumstances.
An example of her remarkable impact includes the skilling and confidence-building of refugees and asylum seekers from migrant communities in the North West to write scripts and make short films telling their different stories. She enabled their films to be recognised and valued by being shown at the Exodus Shorts Refugee film festival.
Since 2008, she has been the creative leader of two major culture change projects in universities within the North West with local and national impact. In both cases she catalysed strong mutual partnerships between staff, students and local communities which have made a difference both to people’s lives as well as changing how the universities perceive and work with their community neighbours.
From 2008-2012 she was the creative director of the Manchester Beacon for Public Engagement, bringing together Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority community leaders from across the most deprived wards of Manchester to realise and develop their leadership potential and make a difference in their communities.
Among the more famous featuring are Lancashire cricketer James Anderson, who was appointed an OBE after surpassing Sir Ian Botham as England’s highest Test wicket-taker in April.
Dr Maria Balshaw, director of Whitworth Art Gallery and Manchester Art Gallery, has become a CBE and Leader of Oldham Council, Jim McMahon, was made an OBE for his services to the local community.
