University of Liverpool Celebrates Alumni Achievements at 2024 Alumni Awards; TV Doctor and Composer Among Winners

The University of Liverpool is delighted to celebrate the achievements of our alumni community at this year’s Alumni Awards.

The Awards, now in their fourth year, celebrate the outstanding talent, dedication and ambition that University of Liverpool graduates bring to our community, academic fields and beyond.

Among the winners is GP, TV doctor and author, Dr Amir Khan who graduated from the University’s School of Medicine in 2004.

Dr Amir Khan, GP, TV doctor and author

Following graduation, Dr Amir worked as a junior doctor at hospitals across Merseyside, before qualifying as a GP in 2009 and since then has worked as a GP Partner in Bradford. Between being a GP, Dr Amir also works as a TV Doctor on ITV’s Good Morning Britain and Lorraine and published best-selling books including The Doctor Will See You Now.

On receiving an alumni award, he said, “I am so grateful to the University who I think played a big part in shaping me as a person, without whom I don’t think I would be able to achieve all I have today. It is easy to feel like a very small cog in a ginormous machine when you are at university, particularly as a working-class boy from a historically marginalised group of people – but this award shows anything is possible and I couldn’t be prouder.”

Felix Hagan, composer and co-founder of SpitLip

Composer and co-founder of theatre company SpitLip, Felix Hagan will also be receiving an award. Since graduating from the University in 2010 with a BA in Popular Music, Felix has gone on to form his theatre company, with which he wrote ‘Operation Mincemeat’, a musical based upon the true-life tale of a spy mission from the First World War. The musical won an Olivier Award for ‘Best New Musical’ this year.

Lucky Ali, social entrepreneur

Recent graduate Lucky Ali (MBioSc 2022) is a multi-award-winning social entrepreneur. She has successfully launched multiple initiatives including Lucky’s Café, a purpose-driven cafe and Bangladeshi kitchen with a thriving Community-building Social Hub based on the Wirral. Lucky’s Café is changing lives through the power of food, community and education. The enterprise has provided hot meals to hundreds of people in need since its launch.

After receiving the news that she would be honoured with an award, Lucky said, “The University of Liverpool Alumni Award is very special for me and I am incredibly grateful for this recognition.”

Dr Miro Griffiths MBE, Co-Director of the Centre for Disability Studies

Dr Miro Griffiths MBE is the Co-Director of the Centre for Disability Studies, an internationally renowned research centre within the University of Leeds which is dedicated to understanding disabled people’s position in societies across the globe. After graduating with a degree in Psychology in 2010, Miro went on to gain a master’s in Disability Studies at the University of Leeds where he now works as a Disability Studies scholar in the School of Sociology and Social Policy.

On being recognised with the award Miro said, “It’s a humbling reminder of how the University of Liverpool encouraged me to recognise that our voices matter in shaping fairer, just, and accessible societies for all.”

Rev Canon Dr Ellen Loudon, Canon Chancellor of Liverpool Cathedral

Rev Canon Dr Ellen Loudon graduated with a master’s in Music in 1996, and graduated again from the University in 2011 with a PhD in Music. Ellen began her career as an actor before becoming a Senior Lecturer in Drama at Edge Hill University until 2001 when she began to explore the possibility of full-time ministry in the Church of England. She was appointed Canon Chancellor of Liverpool Cathedral and Director of Social Justice for the Diocese of Liverpool in 2016.

Ellen has done significant work in supporting the Liverpool City Region, from taking on the role as independent chair of VS6 which is the consortium group that represents the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) to sitting on the Liverpool City Region Serious Organised Crime Group which provides the strategic direction for issues of serious and organised crime in the region.

On being awarded, Ellen said, “Being recognised for my contribution to the civic life of the city and region is an honour.”

Other alumni award winners include:

• Director of Artist Development at Island Records, Hannah Colson (BA Hons Communication, Media and Popular Music 2013)
• Epilepsy awareness champion and Paralegal, Cooper McAuley (LLB Hons 2022)
• Founder and Vice-Chancellor of Victoria Falls University of Technology, Dr Gertrude Mwangala Akapelwa (EdD 2020)
• Legal Advisor for Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Basel Alsourani (LLB Hons 2016)
• Former primary care physician, GP Senior Partner, Professor James P Kingsland OBE (MBChB 1984)
• Former Chairman and Chief Executive of Asda, John Hardman (BCom Hons 1962)
• Health Coordinator at the International Committee of Red Cross, Dr Nadera Hayat Burhani (MPH 2015)
• Chief Executive of IBM UK and Ireland, Dr Nicola Hodson (BSc Hons Chemistry with Materials Science 1988, PhD Mechanical Engineering 1992)
• Project Development Specialist in South Africa, Seponono John Molifi (MSc Programme and Project Management 2016)
• Director of Global Music Industry at Amazon Music, Paul Firth (BEng Hons Mechanical Engineering 1993)
• Tech entrepreneur, Jesse Lyu (BA Hons Marketing 2013)
• Former Principal Project Engineer at Transport For London, Sharon Young MBE (BEng Hons Mechanical Engineering 1997).