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Malcolm Shepherd, CEO of Sustrans, and Roger Geffen, Campaigns and Policy Director of the CTC, have been gonged in the Queen’s Birthday Honour’s list. Shepherd has been appointed a Commander of the Order of the Briish Empire (CBE); Geffen has been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). Geffen was awarded for "services to cycling"; Shepherd was awarded for "services to transport and the environment. (Gary Verity, the CEO of Welcome to Yorkshire becomes a knight for his "services to tourism and the Tour De France Grand Depart 2014.)
Roger Geffen joined CTC in 2002, having been introduced to cycling campaigns as a volunteer with the London Cycling Campaign in the late 1980s. He then went on to take active roles in various transport and environment groups including the UK’s anti-road movement. He later took a masters degree in Transport at London University, while working on walking and cycling policy at Oxfordshire County Council.
Geffen said: “The accolade I’d most dearly love would be a Government commitment to invest at least £10 per head annually on cycling – rising progressively to £20 per head – together with the design standards to ensure this money is well spent! So, humbled as I am to receive this honour, I promise that it won’t in any way weaken my resolve to continue campaigning for those outcomes
“Seriously though, I genuinely regard this as an award for the fantastic collective efforts made by everyone involved in cycle campaigning, both in CTC and our partner organisations. I pay particular tribute to the many local volunteers involved in campaigning at the local level. They are absolute heroes, and I want to dedicate this honour to their efforts too.”
Malcolm Shepherd’s early career was in industry where he held finance director and commercial director roles with several large companies. He has long experience in the charity sector as a volunteer, consultant and trustee, and has worked in the sector for 24 years. He was a founding member of Saferworld, a director of Friends of the Earth, was on the Council of the National Trust, was a Cycling England board member and held various other roles in the sector.
He said:
“This award is a great, and unexpected, honour for me. It means more than I can say and I am most grateful.
“It is humbling that the contribution I have made towards protecting the environment and improving people’s health has been recognised so generously.
“I have had the great privilege to work for, and with, a series of inspiring organisations, most recently Sustrans, who have given me the opportunity to put into practice my own deeply held convictions, and help make a tangible difference to the everyday lives of so many people.
“I have been inspired by the many talented people I have had the pleasure to work with over the years, most particularly my colleagues at Sustrans. This award is also recognition of their work.
“The journey thus far has required immense energy and determination, but my driving force remains a desire to safeguard our future and foster the health and well-being of the generations to come."
