Denise Barrett-Baxendale new Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside

Everton Football Club Chief Executive Officer, Professor Denise Barrett-Baxendale MBE, appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside

The voluntary position will see Denise Barrett-Baxendale working alongside other Deputy Lieutenants in assisting Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant Mr Mark Blundell in carrying out his role as The Queen’s Personal Representative in the County.

Due to their expertise and role within the community, Deputy Lieutenants are asked to provide support in areas including Honours Nominations, Assessments for The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, suggesting names for Royal Garden Parties and representing the Sovereign at Citizenship Ceremonies. Deputy Lieutenants come from all walks of life, usually people who have either served the local community or have a history of public service in other fields.

As the former Chief Executive Officer of Everton in the Community, the official charity of Everton Football Club, Barrett-Baxendale was appointed to the position by the Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Merseyside Mark Blundell after being recommended by the Advisory Committee.

Arriving at Everton in the Community in January 2010 to develop and lead a transformation strategy for the charity, Barrett-Baxendale’s immediate influence saw the organisation pick up numerous local and national awards in recognition of the positive impact it was making on thousands of people’s lives across Merseyside on a monthly basis. In 2014, Barrett-Baxendale was appointed to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire as a Member in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List and was presented with an MBE from Her Majesty The Queen for ‘services to the Merseyside community’.

Internationally, her influence was further acknowledged when she became only the second ever recipient of the ‘Lifetime Role Model Award’ at the Football Is More Conference in Switzerland, while under her stewardship Everton in the Community received Liverpool’s highest civic honour, the Freedom of the City as part of the charity’s 30th anniversary celebrations in January 2018.

Everton CEO Barrett-Baxendale was officially appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant at a Commissioning Ceremony at the Athenaeum, Liverpool on Wednesday 3 April. Present at the Service were Deputy Lieutenants of Merseyside and a further 5 Deputy Lieutenant appointees.

Speaking on her appointment, Barrett-Baxendale said: “It is a great honour to have been selected as a Deputy Lieutenant serving Merseyside and I am very much looking forward to supporting the Lord-Lieutenant in carrying out his duties.

“During my time with both Everton in the Community and Everton Football Club I have come across many heroes of the community in both the Liverpool City Region and across the North West. I’m honoured to have the opportunity to take on a role where I can support with rewarding, recognising and celebrating these fantastic members of our communities.”

Everton Chairman Bill Kenwright added: “The impact that Denise has had not only at Everton but on our home city is phenomenal – no task is too big for her, no mountain too steep – and she achieves it all with a smile! She is simply magnificent. We are so proud of her and all she has achieved and contributed. I am absolutely thrilled that her ongoing commitment to our region has been recognised with this honour and I know she will make a fantastic Deputy Lieutenant.”

The Merseyside Lieutenancy was established on 1 April 1974 on the creation of the County of Merseyside. Previously, the Lieutenancies of Lancashire and Cheshire covered the Merseyside area.

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