Congratulations to all of the recipients from Durham Diocese who have been chosen to receive this year’s Maundy Money. His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen will attend the service on 17 April, at Durham Cathedral, where they will present the Maundy Money to 152 recipients, honouring their exceptional Christian service.
We invite you to read more about some of the inspiring individuals receiving this special Maundy gift.
Graham Young
Graham was a founder of the Traidcraft Group and is a leading strategist in the development of fair trade in the UK and abroad.
Originally from Liverpool, he has vast experience in governance, leading numerous organisations including the Heart of Teesdale Landscape Partnership, and the Northern Heartlands project in County Durham.
As a young man, Graham trained as a teacher but never taught. Instead, he became involved with detached youth work in the 1970s – a new concept at the time.
This stood him in good stead in later years, as the Northern Heartlands project supports people and communities by using creative activities, including art, music and events, which foster a sense of place and belonging.
Graham also supported the establishment of the Consett Churches Detached Youth Project and spent a year working as a volunteer in a residential facility in Austria, for people with severe and multiple disabilities.
A keen interest in religious broadcasting led Graham to present live outdoor broadcasts for the BBC.
In his home village of Winston, Graham worships at St Andrew’s Church. He chairs the Winston Millennium Green project, as well as mending fences and caring for trees within the seven-acre meadow and wood.
“I’m honoured to have been nominated to receive Maundy Money from the King and accept in all humility.”
Isabel Rossall
Isabel has been nominated to receive Maundy Money in recognition of her outstanding Christian service and long-standing dedication to helping asylum seekers and refugees.
A former teacher and organist at St Paul’s Church in Hunswick, Isabel has spent over 20 years supporting asylum seekers and refugees in the Stockton-on-Tees area. Her involvement began after a conversation with a friend about the poor conditions people were being housed in. Moved to act, she began a collection of bedding from local churches and soon found what she calls her true calling.
She began volunteering at a refugee centre based in a Catholic church in Stockton, and as the need grew, operations moved to the Jubilee Church Centre—now a hub for around 70 people each week. A wide variety of visitors come for advice and community. The centre is welcoming, with games tables, activities and even free haircuts offered by barbers who are also asylum seekers.
Isabel provides one-on-one help in a quiet corner—assisting with letters, housing, healthcare access, and attending court hearings. She recently helped a visually impaired woman get appropriate housing and hospital care.
She also established a partnership with York St John University, where she guest lectured for six years to health science students about the asylum system. The students visited Stockton to deliver creative programmes for women, such as sewing, beauty and jewellery making.
“At first I thought the letter from the Palace was a prank!” Isabel said upon receiving it. “I’m delighted—it’s a real honour.”
Andrew Rees
Andrew, a dedicated member of Hart Church in Hartlepool, has been honoured with the prestigious Maundy Money in recognition of his great example of ‘faith in action’ as he serves church and the local community.
Originally from Wiltshire, Andrew has called Hartlepool home for nearly 50 years and loves living by the sea and spending time with his grandchildren.
A former headteacher at a community school with a Christian ethos, he retired from teaching at 55 but never stepped away from working with young people. As a mentor for young families at Hart Church, he plays a key role in running the innovative 3@4 family service, a creative and welcoming initiative for families celebrating baptisms. Alongside fellow honouree Anne Johnson, he helps bring the service to life with churchyard trails and interactive performances. Together they organise Stir-up Sunday, where families mix Christmas cake ingredients, with children hunting for hidden ingredients around the church.
Beyond the church, Andrew’s passion for the outdoors has led him to support Summerhill Country Park & Visitor Centre, where he teaches school groups orienteering and den building. He also dedicated a decade to running the local village school football club.
Upon returning from a trip away, he found the letter from the palace waiting for him amid the chaos of a house move. “I was honoured and very pleased,” he said. “Being a Christian and working in a Christian school means I value the monarchy and the traditions that make this country special.”
Andrew and his wife are looking forward to getting dressed-up for the grand occasion at the iconic Durham Cathedral.
Jean Wilson
Jean, a devoted member of St John’s Church in Hebburn, has been recognised for her faithful service to church and supporting foster children. A regular worshipper for over 50 years, Jean briefly lived in Northamptonshire due to her husband’s work before returning to Hebburn.
Jean’s passion for caring for children has been a defining part of her life. Alongside raising two sons, she and her husband fostered 46 children over 25 years, specialising in caring for babies with special needs. Their devotion led to the adoption of three of these children, born prematurely and affected by foetal alcohol syndrome, which impacts their learning and understanding. Now adults, they still live with Jean in the family home, where she continues to be a loving and supportive person in their lives.
Her dedication extends far beyond the UK. When the Mercy Ship Africa visited the Tyne for conversion into a hospital ship in 2007, Jean welcomed its families into the church and later visited them in Benin, West Africa, bringing donations to orphanages - including football strips and balloons, which mesmerised the children!
She was further inspired to travel to a partner church in Uganda with fellow church members, carrying two large holdalls filled with football and cricket supplies, along with colouring sets, which they delivered to a school supporting street children.
Upon receiving her letter from the Palace, Jean was both delighted and shocked. This will be her second royal encounter, having previously attended a Royal Garden Party through her husband’s involvement with The Prince’s Trust. Her recognition is a testament to her unwavering commitment to faith and family.
Ken Robson
Volunteer Ken Robson has dedicated years of service to the life of his church and its community.
He worships at St Andrew’s at Haughton-le-Skerne and is part of a dedicated team that runs the St Andrew’s Food Bank, led by his wife Susan.
Ken picks up food items from various collection points, before helping to sort them into bags, which are given to people who would otherwise be unable to feed themselves or their families.
Elsewhere, Ken can often be found in the church grounds, where he works as part of a dedicated maintenance team. From grass cutting to planting around the war memorial borders, Ken and his fellow volunteers ensure the area is always looking its best.
Recognising that some people require transport to be able to attend church for mobility reasons, Ken provides lifts in his car for those who need them.
Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Ken established the Men Meet group – a platform for men to gather, to share together, to eat together and listen to interesting speakers. The group has not fully re-established since the pandemic, but its members continue to go out for a meal at Christmas.
This year, Ken is actively involved with St Andrew’s 900th anniversary celebrations, working as part of a voluntary team led by his daughter, Sarah.
“It was a real surprise to receive a letter from Buckingham Palace,” he said. “I am very much honoured.”
Judith Lees
A long-serving organist and church volunteer has made a difference to people’s lives both at home and abroad.
Judith Lees first played the organ at St Barnabas’, Bournmoor, for the Sunday School when she was just nine years old. As the years progressed, she deputised for the church’s main organist whenever called upon.
Now aged 77, Judith has been the main organist for at least 40 years at the church, where she has also served as church warden and as a long serving treasurer.
Judith was one of a group of people who launched the successful Youth Project at St Barnabas’ Church, an initiative that was well suited to her career in education.
Before retiring as a primary school headteacher, Judith began visiting Ghana in West Africa, as part of an initiative aimed at educating children in the UK about the ‘third world’. During a six-week visit in 2001, she and three colleagues—amazed by the schools in underprivileged areas—decided to try to do something to help. She went on to train teachers and wrote a set of books to improve the children’s reading skills.
The visits, which were sometimes up to three times per year, continued up to and after the coronavirus pandemic. Judith is planning a return visit to Ghana later this year.
“I could not believe it,” said Judith after finding out she was to receive Maundy Money. “It is a wonderful honour.”