Tony Hawkhead, chief executive of Groundwork UK, has been awarded a knighthood for services to environmental regeneration.

Speaking about the award, Hawkhead (pictured) said: “This great honour has come as an enormous surprise and has been awarded to me in recognition of the fantastic work that Groundwork has done for environmental regeneration over the last 30 years.   

“This is an award for an organisation which I have been lucky enough to be part of for the past 15 years and I am incredibly proud of what the staff at Groundwork have done to change places and change lives, especially in those areas that need it the most."

Elsewhere, there were CBEs for Justin Davis Smith, chief executive of Volunteering England; Jack Petchey, founder of the Jack Petchey Foundation; David Isaac, chair of Stonewall; and Jenny Edwards, chief executive of Homeless Link.

Among several charity sector luminaries which were awarded an OBE was Dr Jane Cocking, humanitarian director at Oxfam, while Gill Raikes, fundraising director at the National Trust, was one of many more who were given an MBE.