Coronation Street star dedicates MBE to working class actors

Former Coronation Street star Sally Lindsay is among 97 people from north-west England featured in the King’s New Years Honours List.

Lindsay has been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her services to drama.

Lindsay, 52, best known for playing the Rovers Return landlady Shelley Unwin on the ITV soap set in Greater Manchester, said she was “extremely honoured”, and dedicated the award to working class actors.

Other people given honours include Elaine Edwards, founder of a Lancashire project that supports new mums, a surgeon stabbed outside a mosque in Hale, a woman who runs a horse sanctuary in Merseyside, plus former St Helens Rugby League star Tara Jones.

Lindsay said: “Throughout my career I have met incredible people, made life-long friends and worked on many memorable projects.

“I would like to dedicate this award to the rest of the 8% of working class people who make up my industry and hope in the future there will be many more of us,” she added.

Alongside her writing and acting career, she is also an ambassador for Demelza Hospice Care, a charity that provides support for children with serious or life-limiting conditions and their families.

Dr Nasser Kurdy, a consultant surgeon who was attacked outside the Altrincham Islamic Centre in Hale in September 2017, has also been made an MBE.

He said: “I was so lucky I walked away from a stabbing but somehow… I didn’t feel hateful or resentful.”

Dr Kurdy, from Altrincham, went on to set up the I Forgive Hate and gives talks to schools, community groups and in prisons.

He was honoured for services to Community Interfaith Reconciliation.

Det Ch Supt Jon Chadwick, Greater Manchester Police’s head of serious crime, has been awarded the King’s Policing Medal (KPM).

He has worked extensively with the College of Policing and UKDVI (disaster victim identification) sharing his experience and learning from numerous deployments – including the Manchester Arena attack and the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said it was a “real honour and privilege” to be a recipient of the award.

“I have the best job in the force, so to be awarded the KPM for doing something I love doing feels extremely fortunate and somewhat surreal,” he said.

The leader of Manchester City Council Bev Craig has been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to local government.

First elected to public office as a councillor in the Burnage ward in 2011, she has held several roles at Manchester City Council, including executive member for adult social care and health through the Covid-19 pandemic, and latterly as deputy leader.

Craig was named leader of Manchester City Council in December 2021 – the first woman to take up the post.

“To receive on OBE is a huge privilege, and to get awarded it for what I’ve been able to give back to our city is all the more special,” she said.

“Manchester is an incredible city, made special by its people and a place I’m proud to call home.”

Michael Cullen, who went from sleeping rough in Liverpool to raising £1m by doing charity walks in all weathers in just his swimming trunks, has received a British Empire Medal (BEM).

Known as Speedo Mick, the founder of The SpeedoMick Foundation was given the BEM for his charitable service.

Bernadette Langfield, who runs the Shy Lowen Horse and Pony Sanctuary in Sefton, also received the BEM.

She said she was proud of the honour and thrilled the sanctuary’s work had been recognised in the honours list.

Former St Helens rugby league player Tara Jones, from Warrington, Cheshire, has been made an MBE.

As well as playing, Jones made history in April 2024 by becoming the first woman to referee a senior professional men’s rugby league match in the northern hemisphere.

Jones said she was glad she could finally share the good news as it had been “really, really hard” to keep it secret knowing her family and loved ones would be “proud and made up for you”.

Merseyside Police Chief Constable Rob Carden was awarded a KPM.

He said he was honoured and humbled to have been recognised but added it was a reflection of all the dedication and commitment of his colleagues.

“Any good news or positive results it’s them that is delivering it.

“I’m resetting the direction and trying to move away the barriers. To let people do great work and there is some fantastic work going on in Merseyside.”

As founder and chair of Families and Babies (FAB), which promotes breastfeeding in Blackburn with Darwen, Ms Edwards said it was “absolutely overwhelming” to be appointed an MBE.

FAB now directly supports more than 8,500 families every year.

She said it felt “surreal” to be recognised for supporting breastfeeding women for more than 20 years.

“I feel completely honoured,” she said.

The leader of Blackpool Transport, Jane Cole, has been made an OBE for services to the transport industry and the local community.

Ms Cole, who has been at the helm of the company for 12 years and is retiring in May, said she was delighted with the honour.