Bedfordshire people awarded in New Year Honours

A former pupil of Luton Grammar School has been made a Companion of Honour in the New Year's Honours List.
Forensics at the university of leicester gv

Pictured, L-R: Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys, Dr John Bond and Dr Lisa Smith. ENGPPP00120130814145535Forensics at the university of leicester gv

Pictured, L-R: Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys, Dr John Bond and Dr Lisa Smith. ENGPPP00120130814145535
Forensics at the university of leicester gv Pictured, L-R: Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys, Dr John Bond and Dr Lisa Smith. ENGPPP00120130814145535

Sir Alec Jeffreys has been honoured for his work on human genetics.

His citation reads: “Sir Alec, Emeritus Professor at Leicester University, has delivered outstanding insights into human genetic variability and translated these findings into genetic profiling technologies that have had profound impact across the criminal justice system and society as a whole. He developed the concept of DNA fingerprinting and became the founding father of genetic profiling. He also uncovered the way DNA is affected by environmental impacts such as those experienced during the Chernobyl disaster, with broad-ranging health implications. He has won the Royal Society’s Royal Medal for distinguished contributions to the applied sciences and the Copley Medal for outstanding achievements in science.

Sir Alec, aged 66, was born in Oxfordshire but his family moved to Luton, He attended Luton Grammar School and the town’s sixth form college.

He was knighted for services to genetics in 1994.

Two Bedfordshire residents have received CBEs in the honours.

Kim Daniel Bronley-Derry is the Chief Executive, London Borough of Newham and was given the award for services to Local Government.

A former Bedfordshire chief constable, who still lives in the county, Alf Hitchcock, now chief constable with the Ministry of Defence police, received his award for services to policing

MBEs go to Tony Fenwick from Luton Co-Chair, School’s Out for services to equality in the education sector; Michael Grant from Leighton Buzzard for services to conservation and the community in Billington; Nigel Sparrow for services to the community in Clapham; and Anthony Peter Wilson from Dunstable Director, AECOM, for services to building and engineering.