New Years Honours 2024: Philharmonic leader honoured for music and community work

Michael Eakin has been appointed an OBE in the King's New Year Honours List

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic's chief executive said he was "proud and grateful" to be awarded for his services to music and the community.

Michael Eakin was appointed an OBE in the King's New Year Honours List.

Mr Eakin, who also leads a series of music outreach programmes in the city, said the concert hall was "central to the cultural identity and life of Liverpool".

Adding he was "incredibly fortunate to work for such a special place".

"Liverpool Philharmonic enjoys immense support from local people and partners, and I can think of no better city in which to lead a music organisation," he said.

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic runs a series of outreach community events

The organisation includes the award-winning Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, associated ensembles and choirs and the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.

Over the past 15 years Mr Eakin, who became chief executive of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic in 2008, has led the organisation through a £14m refurbishment, grown audience numbers and developed a series of health and learning programmes taking music to the local community including local schools, hospitals and community groups.

"We're very careful in our programmes to make sure that they respond to the needs of the people that we are working with," he said.

"We go into the wards in Clatterbridge and we know that both the patients and the staff find that a really uplifting experience."

He said the scheme also sees musicians work with people living with mental health issues and helps them to make their own music which Mr Eakin said had proved to be "an incredibly powerful way" for people to express themselves.

He added: "I am privileged to work with an incredible team of colleagues and this award is as much a recognition for their work and dedication as it is for me."

Donna Dawber was awarded an MBE for services to policing

The annual honours also recognised Merseyside Police's news and campaigns manager, Donna Dawber, who was appointed an MBE for services to policing.

Ms Dawber was recognised for her work with the media during her 23 years with the force and engaging with communities.

She was commended for her role in supporting investigations, including five fatal shootings in 2022.

One of the victims was nine-year-old Olivia Pratt Korbel and Ms Dawber and her team liaised with Olivia's family and the press which had "a significant impact on the community and resulted in witnesses coming forward", a force representative said.

Elsewhere across Merseyside the Reverend Canon Dr Crispin Pailing was appointed an MBE for his services to the community in Liverpool.

The Reverend Canon Dr Crispin Pailing was made an MBE

Dr Pailing, who is Rector of Liverpool Parish Church and is on the boards of a number of local charities, also set up a faith leaders group in the city region which said had helped create "very strong and very harmonious" relationships between faiths in Liverpool.

He is also a strong advocate for the Church of England to treat same-sex marriage and opposite-sex marriage equally and said the MBE was "some validation" that "these are values that we as a nation recognise and are values we should be fighting for".

He added he was "incredibly touched and grateful" for the people who had nominated him for the work he was involved in.

Other award recipients included Wirral-born Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood who was appointed an MBE for services to baking and broadcasting and OBE's have been awarded to Heather Akehurst, chief executive of Open Awards for services to further education on Merseyside; forensic pathologist Dr Christopher Paul Johnson for services to Criminal Justice and Professor Simon Kenny for services to paediatric surgery.