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Nobel Peace Prize winner, Money Saving Expert and Australian cricket legend set for Leeds Beckett honours
The graduation ceremonies will take place at the University’s Headingley Campus between Monday 25 and Thursday 28 July where the honorary award recipients will join around 5,000 students celebrating their graduation from Leeds Beckett University this year.
Martin Lewis OBE, launched Money Saving Expert in 2003 for £100 and remained its full-time Editor-in-Chief for 13 years until earlier this month when he became Executive Chairman. It is now the UK's biggest money site, with more than 15 million monthly users and 11 million signed up to receive the Martin’s Money Tips email.
Jason Gillespie, Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s first team coach, was part of a golden era for Australian cricket taking 402 wickets for his country in all forms of international cricket, including 259 in 71 Tests. ‘Dizzy’, as he’s known throughout the world of cricket, is Australia’s sixth highest wicket-taker in Test cricket and his playing career will also always be remembered for a stunning double-century he scored as a night-watchman against Bangladesh in his last Test match.
Jason Gillespie
Founding member of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and Nobel Peace Prize medallist, Lou McGrath OBE is CEO of ‘Find a Better Way’, a charity founded by football legend Sir Bobby Charlton, which provides funding to universities undertaking research into better detection systems for landmine clearance, prosthetics, regenerative medicine and better amputation techniques.
Leeds Beckett University Chancellor, Sir Bob Murray CBE, said: “Not only are the variety of individuals recognised by our honorary degrees a huge source of inspiration to our students and graduates, but they have each made significant contributions to their field which we are delighted to recognise with these awards. We are very much looking forward to welcoming each of our honorary graduates - a host of highly-respected figures from business, sport, arts and the entertainment world - to our Headingley Campus, to join us in celebrating the achievements of our graduating students.”
The full list of honorary degrees to be awarded by Leeds Beckett University is:
Monday 25 July, 11am – Stephanie Hirst, Hon Doctorate of the University, Stephanie is an award-winning radio DJ, TV presenter, broadcaster and an icon of the UK transgender community.
Monday 25 July, 5pm – Jason Gillespie, Hon Doctorate of Sport Science. Jason is First team coach at Yorkshire County Cricket Club. He was part of a golden era for Australian cricket, taking 402 wickets for his country in all forms of international cricket.
Tuesday 26 July, 11am – Martin Lewis OBE, Hon Doctorate of Arts. Martin is the founder of MoneySavingExpert.com and an award-winning TV and radio presenter.
Tuesday 26 July, 2pm – Peter Smith MBE, Hon Doctorate of Sport Science. Peter is the former Manager of the Leeds Sports Development Team at Leeds City Council and the figurehead behind many of Leeds’s great sporting events.
Tuesday 26 July, 5pm – Jason Davidson, Hon Doctorate of Sport Science. Jason is Head of Athletic Performance at Leeds Rugby. He has established himself as one of the leading conditioners in British sport.
Tuesday 26 July, 5pm – Harry Jepson OBE, Hon Doctorate of Education. Harry is the President of Leeds Rhinos and Chairman of the Rugby League Conference.
Wednesday 27 July, 11am – Richard Demarco CBE, Hon Doctorate of Arts. Richard is a British artist and patron of European visual and performing arts.
Wednesday 27 July, 2pm – Professor Paul Rogers, Hon Doctorate of Laws. Paul is Global Security Consultant to Oxford Research Group and a Professor of Peace Studies at Bradford University.
Wednesday 27 July, 5pm – Professor Nick Hardwick CBE, Hon Doctorate of Laws. Nick is the former Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons, taking responsibility for providing independent scrutiny of detention in England and Wales.
Thursday 28 July, 11am – Colin Glass, Hon Doctorate of Business Administration. Colin is a chartered accountant and was a founding partner of his practice, Winburn Glass Norfolk (‘WGN’) in 1975.
Thursday 28 July, 2pm – Lou McGrath OBE, Hon Doctorate of Laws. Lou is founding member of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and Nobel Peace Prize medallist.
Thursday 28 July, 5pm – Martyn Moxon, Hon Doctorate of Sport Science. Martyn is Director of Cricket at Yorkshire County Cricket Club. In a playing career for Yorkshire spanning 17 seasons, he scored 21,161 first class runs.
Thursday 28 July, 5pm – Liv Garfield, Hon Doctorate of Business Administration. Liv is CEO of Severn Trent Water and one of the youngest women ever to lead a FTSE 100 company.