King's birthday honours 2024: North London recipients

The Crown, Downton Abbey, Vera Drake and Harry Potter actor Imelda Staunton, who lives in West Hampstead, was among the most eye-catching names to make this year’s list, having been awarded a damehood.

Chair of The Friends of Kenwood, Dame Jennifer Abramsky, has also received the highest honour handed out in the list, the Dame Grand Cross.

Other notable names to make the list include Karen Buck, formerly the Labour MP for Westminster North, and Camden Council leader Georgia Gould.

Here are some of the north London people who have been honoured this year.

Dame Grand Cross

Dame Jennifer Abramsky, media producer and philanthropist, for services to arts, to media and to culture. The former BBC radio executive, who used to be chair of the Hampstead Theatre, is now chair of the Friends of Kenwood House. Abramsky was born and grew up in Holly Lodge Estate, and now lives close to the Heath.

Dame Jenny Abramsky received her DBE in 2009 (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

Damehood

Karen Buck, formerly Member of Parliament for Westminster North, for parliamentary and political service. Buck was first elected as member for Regent’s Park and Kensington North in Tony Blair’s 1997 landslide. She served as a minister in the department of transport from 2005 to 2006. Her constituency changed to Westminster North in 2010, and she announced earlier this year that she would not be running for re-election.

Karen Buck was formerly MP for Westminster North (Image: Parliament)

Imelda Staunton, actress, for services to drama and to charity. Born in Archway to an Irish labourer and hairdresser, Staunton attended La Sainte Union Convent in Highgate before studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Staunton has also become well-known for roles in family movies such as Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix and Maleficant as well as her Oscar-nominated performance of Mike Leigh’s Vera Drake. She now lives in West Hampstead.

CBE

Dawn Airey, National Youth Theatre chair, for services to theatre and to charity. The National Youth Theatre is based in Holloway Road, Islington.

OBE

Emma Dagnes, Chief Executive Officer, Alexandra Palace, for services to heritage.

Councillor Georgia Gould, councillor and Camden Council leader, for services to local government. Gould is also the Labour candidate in Queen’s Park and Maida Vale in the upcoming general election.

Camden Council leader Georgia Gould (Image: PA)

MBE

Sally Atkinson, for services to education and to the community in Barnet. Atkinson, 72, has undertaken several school governor roles, the first of which was at St. Mary's Primary School in Finchley. She is also a Governor of Monken Hadley CE School in High Barnet. Since 2011, she has been a voluntary hospital manager at Ellern Mede Hospital in Totteridge, a 28-bed eating disorder hospital.

Peter Eadie-Catling, headteacher at Woodlands Park Nursery School and Children's Centre, in Haringey, for services to education. Under his leadership, the centre has repeatedly rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted. He has supported the development of the Haringey Education Partnership, a not-for-profit schools-led improvement company that is now a successful organisation supporting many schools in the local area.

Mary Hart, headteacher of Margaret McMillan Nursery School and Children's Centre, Islington, for services to education.

Josephine Marchant, head of estates, The Boxing Academy, Hackney, for services to education.

Jenefer Rees, acting assistant director quality, safeguarding and workforce (adults), and lately principal social worker and service director, Islington Council, for services to social work. During the pandemic, she played a pivotal role in leading the Islington adult social care response. Her early work leading on and shaping the assurance process was vital for the Care Quality Commission model still used today.