Social entrepreneurs and impact leaders celebrated in King’s Birthday Honours list 2025

Impact leaders and social entrepreneurs have been recognised for their public service in King Charles III’s annual Birthday Honours List, which was released on 14 June 2025.

The honourees include Mila Lukic (pictured below), founder and CEO of social enterprise Bridges Outcomes Partnerships, which creates partnerships between government bodies, social investors, NGOs and others to deliver public services. 

She was awarded ‘Star of the Future’ at the annual NatWest Wise100 awards in 2023, recognised as an influential leader “showing star qualities, relatively new in their social enterprise career.”

Lukic said on LinkedIn that the OBE, which signifies ‘officer of the order of the British Empire,’ felt surreal. She said: “Lots more to do and a nice motivation to continue our journey towards better outcomes for people and better value for society!”

Jane Kenyon, founder of Girls Out Loud, was awarded an MBE – ‘member of the order of the British Empire’ – for services to gender equality for women and girls. The social enterprise empowers women and girls to build confidence and self-esteem through mentorship and advocacy programmes.  

She said: “This work has been my life’s purpose – from mentoring girls one-to-one to building an organisation that champions them at scale. I’ve always believed in helping women and girls see the power they already have and reminding them that they aren’t alone.”

Scott Darraugh, founder and CEO of Social adVentures, was awarded an MBE for services to social enterprise and the community in Salford, Greater Manchester. Social adVentures is a cooperative and social organisation specialising in public health and social care. It was named Growth Champion in the Pioneers Post NatWest SE100 Awards 2012. 

This honour is for every person who works to make public services more inclusive, compassionate, and rooted in the communities they serve

Darraugh said: “This honour is for every person who works to make public services more inclusive, compassionate, and rooted in the communities they serve.”

Anna Shiel, CIO of the UK’s wholesale social investor Better Society Capital, was awarded an MBE for services to social enterprise.

Shiel said: “I feel incredibly fortunate to work in a field filled with inspiring people: social entrepreneurs, fund managers, investors, policymakers, and many others.”

She added: “What unites them is a sense of purpose, determination, and kindness, along with a belief that there is a better way of doing things if we’re to tackle the big social and environmental challenges ahead.”

Other impact community honourees include: 

• Emmanuel Akpan-Inwang, founder and director of Lighthouse Pedagogy Trust, Medallist of the Order of the British Empire for services to social enterprise and young people.
• Tony Armstrong, CEO of Locality, OBE for services to local community organisations. 
• Professor Stephan Chambers, OBE for services to social enterprise and to philanthropy.
• Rebecca Denniff, director of Flash Company Arts CIC, Medallist of the Order of the British Empire for services to music education. 
• Kylie Dixon, founder of Northern Lass Lounge, MBE for services to social enterprise and female entrepreneurship. 
• Ivo Gormley, founder of GoodGym, OBE for services to social enterprise. 
• Mona Shah, founder and managing director of Harry Specters, MBE for services to training and employment for young people with autism. 
• Laura Silverman, creator and head of London School of Economics and Political Science Generate, MBE for services to social innovation and education.  
• Robert Smith, CEO of Group Recovery Aftercare Community Enterprise, Medallist of the Order of the British Empire for services to charity and to the community in East Dunbartonshire.
• Percival Williams, Director of Redruth Revival CIC, MBE for services to heritage and to culture in Cornwall.

Top image: 2025 King’s Birthday Honours MBE recipient Jane Kenyon, founder of Girls Out Loud (credit: Girls Out Loud)