Cypriots named in Queens Birthday Honours List

Several UK Cypriots were among those chosen to receive awards in Queen Elizabeth’s birthday honours list for their contribution to community, society and public service.

Among the prominent winners were Cypriots Stephen Alambritis (MBE), June Angelides (MBE), Ayse Veli (MBE) George Kassianos (CBE) and Andrew Christopher Stylianou (OBE).

Aradippou-born Alambritis, leader of Merton Council, received an MBE for his services to local government in South London.

He is married with two children and attended Elliot School followed by a degree at London School of Economics.

He was also an advisor on parliamentary affairs to the UK federation of small businesses.

Dr Kassianos National Immunisation Lead, Royal College of General Practitioners received the CBE for services to travel medicine and general practice.

He is an immunisations expert, author & lecturer born in Lysi in 1948.

He is married with three children. He attended Nicosia Gymnasium and Lodz medical academy, Poland. He has appeared on TV watchdog, BBC and Sky news.

Stylianou, the chief operating officer for Sky UK and Ireland received an MBE for services to diversity and the economy of London.

Angelides was awarded an MBE for services to women in technology.

Named by the Financial Times as the 6th Most Influential BAME Tech Leader in 2018 she is the founder and CEO of Mums in Technology, which partners with industry to encourage new mothers to take their children to school with them while they learn to code.

The company has trained over 250 women and provided them with the confidence and mindset to explore careers in the tech sector.

Ayse Veli was awarded an MBE for public and political services and her interfaith work. She is the private secretary to Angela Rayner, the former diary manager to Jeremy Corbyn

In the British honours system, MBE stands for Member of the Order of the British Empire. It is outranked by the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) and by the top award, the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire).