Penny Mordaunt made dame in King's Birthday Honours

Former Conservative cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt has becomes a dame in the King's Birthday Honours.

Ms Mordaunt, who represented Portsmouth North between 2010 and 2024, said it was "lovely to be appreciated in this way".

Her profile was boosted by her sword-carrying role as Lord President of the Council during the 2023 coronation ceremony - the first time the duty had been carried out by a woman.

The 52-year-old, who also served as defence secretary and commons leader, was among a host of honours recipients from Hampshire.

Dame Penny said: "I'm very conscious that everything I have ever got done has been with the help and efforts of others.

"So I'm feeling very grateful on many counts today."

In Westminster she had twice challenged for the Conservative leadership, losing to Liz Truss and then pulling out of the race against Rishi Sunak.

But her hopes of making it third time lucky were dashed when she lost her seat to her Labour opponent at last year's general election.

Elsewhere in Hampshire, Nick Hayward, from Lymington RNLI, was awarded an MBE for his services to maritime safety.

He said the honour was "exciting" and "humbling" and praised the work of everyone involved with the charity that he has dedicated 44 years of his life to.

"We have one aim in mind - that is to save lives and help people," he said.

The volunteer said he was looking forward to a trip to the palace, describing it as the "pinnacle" for him.

Multiple gold medal-winning Paralympian Monica Vaughan was given an OBE for her services to sport.

The swimmer from Waterlooville put in dominant performances at the games in Toronto in 1976 and in Arnhem in 1980.

She picked up nine Paralympic golds and one silver across the two events.

Tom Yendell was awarded an OBE for services to young people people with disabilities.

His mother took the controversial medication Thalidomide before his birth and told how he was taken away from his parents for the first six months of his life.

Despite this difficult start the mouth and foot painting artist from Alton went on to set up his own art gallery and has since created the Unique Art Awards, a competition for disabled children between the ages of seven and 21 years old.

It recognises and encourage disabled young artists throughout the UK.

Other honours recipients in Hampshire include:

• Charlotte Carter JP, a magistrate from Freshwater on the Isle of Wight who was the only islander to receive an honour. She was awarded an MBE for services to the administration of justice on the Isle of Wight and in Hampshire.
• Thomas Roddick, from Emsworth, received a knighthood for the work his organisation, The Roddick Foundation, has done to support charities.
• Romsey based surgeon Prof Peter Brennan was awarded an OBE for services to surgery and patient Safety.

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