Outstanding contributions by British nationals abroad recognised on the King's Birthday 2025 Overseas and International Honours list
Source: gov.uk (2025-06-12)

His Majesty The King’s Birthday Honours List recognises people who have given exceptional service to the UK abroad and internationally.

- Stephen Kavanagh, until recently the Executive Director of Police Services at INTERPOL, is knighted for his contribution to international policing and public safety
- several awards recognise British nationals for outstanding voluntary and charitable work overseas
- these include Valerie Taylor, Founder of the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed in Bangladesh, who receives a CBE for services to disadvantaged people in Bangladesh
One hundred and ten people have received awards for their exceptional service to the UK overseas or internationally in His Majesty The King’s Birthday Honours List (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-kings-birthday-honours-2025-overseas-and-international-list) this year. They are recognised for their contributions to British foreign policy and international development, as well as voluntary and charitable work.

Stephen Kavanagh, lately the Executive Director of Police Services at INTERPOL is appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in recognition of his outstanding and sustained leadership, international public service, and track record of success in the role at INTERPOL, where he served as the world’s most senior policing official.

The most senior official recognised in the list is Sir Philip Barton, who is appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) for his exceptional contribution and achievement over a long career. As the UK’s most senior diplomat and the first Permanent Under-Secretary of the merged Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office for the past 5 years, his tenure was marked by outstanding dedication, strategic vision and compassionate leadership.

Further information about recipients receiving knighthood-level awards on the Overseas and International List can be found on the lists on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-kings-birthday-honours-2025-overseas-and-international-list).

Sir Olly Robbins, Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Head of the Diplomatic Service, said:

These honours are testament to the dedication, effort and achievements of dozens of individuals, who represent the very best of the UK internationally.

On behalf of the FCDO, I’d like to congratulate and thank them for their exceptional work.

The Overseas and International Birthday Honours list also recognises a wide range of contributions at the lower levels, with awards to British nationals for exceptional voluntary and charitable service that has enhanced the UK’s reputation overseas. These include:

Valerie Taylor

Founder of the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed in Bangladesh, receives a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for services to Disadvantaged People in Bangladesh.

Valerie Taylor is recognised for her life-long contribution to promoting health and the rights of people with disability in Bangladesh who remain the most marginalised members of Bangladeshi society. In 1969 she was sent by Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) to East Pakistan (later to become Bangladesh) to start physiotherapy services in a small mission hospital in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. In the 3 years that she worked there she became aware of the pressing need for rehabilitation services and returned to join the staff of the Shaheed Suhrawardy Hospital, a government-run hospital in Dhaka.

A decade after first visiting the country, she established the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) – which eventually became the most reliable and respected institute to support disabled people in Bangladesh. At the start of her career, she was running CRP with 4 patients in an abandoned warehouse of the Shaheed Suhrawardy Hospital.

Through her commitment, she has grown CRP to include a 100-bed hospital as well as 12 centres in different parts of the country to expand the services in collaboration with other organisations, which are affordable and easy to access for disabled people. It promotes the empowerment of disabled people through community-based services, advocacy and networking on disability issues and the rights of disabled girls and women. CRP also raises awareness on disability issues nationally, regionally and internationally and provides medical treatment, rehabilitation and support services.

On learning of her award, Valerie Taylor said:

Receiving such an award is a perfect opportunity for me to thank and congratulate the staff of the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) for their commitment to the work of complete rehabilitation for our patients over these last 46 years.

Matthew Featherstone

President, Cricket Brazil, receives an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) for services to Sport and Disadvantaged Communities, Women and Girls Overseas.

​​Matt Featherstone is recognised for ​​​his exceptional contribution to expanding cricket in Brazil and supporting disadvantaged people through sport. In 2001, he co-founded the Brazilian Cricket Association (Cricket Brazil), which was recognised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2006. Through his leadership, cricket was expanded across the country, resulting in Brazil qualifying for the ICC’s World Cricket League (a pathway to joining the ICC World Cup), and the Brazilian male cricket team, originally comprised solely of foreign players, has increased its standing and now has a greater proportion of Brazilian players. ​

However, Matt’s most impressive work has been through Cricket Brazil’s development programme. The programme, which started in 2011 as cricket-lessons for 24 children in an orphanage in Poços de Caldas, is now benefitting more than 10,000 children from impoverished communities in 5 states across Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. The programme provides structure, fitness and self-confidence to children between 4 to 17 attending (50) state schools, through cricket coaching.

​​More recently, Matt created the Cricket Like a Girl programme to encourage more girls to play the sport. As a result of the programme, Brazil became the first ever country to give professional cricket contracts to women before men and the Brazilian Ladies Cricket Team has, in this short time, won their 6th South American trophy. Through cricket, Matt is supporting the rights, freedom and potential of underprivileged women and girls in Brazil.

On learning of his award, Matthew Featherstone said:

It is real honour and a massive surprise to receive this award. This is just the start. Cricket Brazil will continue to grow, giving more and more opportunities for the less privileged and also slowly climb the world rankings both female and male. It’s very exciting times for Cricket Brazil.

Susan Ozturk

Founder and Trustee, the Vera Thomson English School, Rakhine State, Myanmar, receives an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for services to Children’s Education and Healthcare in Myanmar.

Susan Ozturk, the Founder and Director of the Vera Thomson English School in Myanmar, is recognised for her outstanding contribution to improving the lives of children in the village of Lintha. Susan first arrived in Myanmar in 1998, when she visited with her husband and developed a vision which would help the poorest of children access education in a fishing village on the west coast of Rakhine.

Three years later, she founded the Vera Thomson English School, VTES (named after her mother) in 2001, when she, and her husband moved to Myanmar permanently. Funded by the Andrew Clark Trust, the school has grown from a single simple room to a large compound that houses numerous classrooms, a library, IT suite and open spaces. It is a safe, happy and active learning environment where students learn English, but also many other skills, including an appreciation for the environment and care for the community. Over 2 decades, the school has directly improved the access to quality education, and hence the lives, of almost 4,500 children and her commitment over the years in the face of countless obstacles has been outstanding.

On learning of her award, Susan Ozturk said:

I feel honoured and also shocked at the same time as I believe there are many more worthy people than me. The school is my life. I never look back on what has been achieved but always focus on what needs to be done.

Elizabeth Burrowes

Director of Music Education, Brass for Africa, Uganda, receives a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to Music Education for Disadvantaged Young People in Africa.

Recommendations for a British Empire Medal include Elizabeth Burrowes, Director of Music Education, Brass for Africa, Uganda, recognised for her exceptional contribution to positively transforming the lives of thousands of young people, and their challenged communities in Uganda and Rwanda, through music.

Alongside the thousands of children gaining musical education through her training of local teachers, Elizabeth is an ardent advocate for inclusion and opportunity for all, whether it’s working with civil war refugees in the Bidibidi refugee settlement on the South Sudanese border, young offenders in Kampiringisa National Juvenile Rehabilitation Centre, or those living in the huge impoverished informal settlements around Kampala.

Also, as a young woman, living embedded in the local community, and walking to work through her neighbourhood for the past 6 years, she has become a powerful leader and role model for female equity and inclusion, creating opportunities to accelerate the realisation of potential for young girls.

On learning of her award, Elizabeth Burrowes said:

What a surprise and an honour! Truly, developing and mentoring musicians and teachers, and seeing them empowered and inspiring others is incredibly fulfilling. To me, this award recognises Brass for Africa’s vision and appreciates all the dedicated change-makers on our team who I’m privileged to call friends.

View the full King’s Birthday Honours 2025: Overseas and International List (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-kings-birthday-honours-2025-overseas-and-international-list).

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