Deputy Lieutenants

Serving Deputy Lieutenants of Greater Manchester assist the Lord-Lieutenant in her duties. They undertake various tasks such as attending all Citizenship Ceremonies throughout the county, making cheque presentations, giving talks and a plethora of other duties as determined by the Lord-Lieutenant. Find out more about the Deputy Lieutenants by accessing their individual pages through the links provided here.

List of Deputy Lieutenants page 1 of 3
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Syed Abidi MD, MBE, DL, FRSPH
Syed is a British Pakistani Doctor & a Public Health Specialist, based in Manchester with a particular interest in health improvement and health awareness of the general public. He is the founder director of Al-Hayat (The Life) Foundation Healthcare Trust in Pakistan. During 1998-2000, he worked in the Radiology Department of North Manchester General Hospital… Continue reading
Martin Ainscough CBE DL
Martin grew Ainscough Crane Hire into the UK’s largest and most successful crane business, prior to its sale in 2007. He is chairman of the Ainscough Group of Companies which invests in and owns a wide range of business interests including property investment, finance and private equity companies. He has set up a Charitable Trust… Continue reading
Susan Allison JP DL MSc BA
Sue has worked in the NHS throughout her working life, most of this being in Manchester, in a variety of positions. Initially qualifying as a physiotherapist and working clinically for a number of years, Sue then qualified as a lecturer in physiotherapy and from 1993 to 2000 was principal of the Manchester School of Physiotherapy. She lead the… Continue reading
Saeed Atcha MBE DL
Saeed Atcha MBE DL is the Founding CEO of Youth Leads UK, a charity he established at the age of 15. Having grown up in care in Bolton, Saeed is acutely aware of how young people from disadvantaged backgrounds can be overlooked when it comes to learning valuable life skills and having a voice in… Continue reading
Carl Austin-Behan OBE DL
After joining the RAF at 19 Carl Austin-Behan was sadly forced out due to his homosexuality, but not before he found his name on the 1996 Queen’s Birthday Honours list for his exceptional service, which included saving a pilot from a burning aircraft as well as other remarkable endeavours.  Carl served with Greater Manchester Fire… Continue reading
Sharman Birtles MBE JP DL, Vice Lord-Lieutenant
Sharman was born in Droylsden and was educated at Fairfield High School for Girls. After leaving school she joined The Royal Bank of Scotland (formerly Williams Deacons and Williams & Glyn’s) where she worked until she took early retirement in 1997. Sharman was appointed as a Magistrate on the Manchester City Bench in 1981 where… Continue reading
Professor Erinma Bell MBE DL JP BA (Hons)
In 2003 Erinma became a co-founder and chair of CARISMA - Community Alliance for Renewal Inner South Manchester Area. CARISMA has become a front-line community based group, originally set up by the community for the community to offer life-chances for young people in the community by giving them positive alternatives other than street crimes, and… Continue reading
Sir Howard Bernstein
Sir Howard was Chief Executive of Manchester City Council for 20 years and retired in March 2017. He was also Head of the Paid Service for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority which was the first such institution created in the country. Throughout his career he has led a range of regeneration based activities- including the reconstruction… Continue reading
Nicholas Bird Esq. KStJ DL FCA
Nicholas Bird spent his entire working life in Manchester – in Chartered Accountancy from 1970 to 2019. In later years he was a Senior Partner in a small niche City Centre Practice. Nicholas was much involved in The Order of St John and St John Ambulance from 1984 to 2008, during which time he was… Continue reading
Lady Rhona Bradley DL. BA (Hons). PGDip SocAd. MA CQSW.
Lady Bradley has 30 years’ experience of working in the public sector, in the Criminal Justice System with the National Probation Service in Greater Manchester and Cheshire, and in senior management positions in local authority children and adults Social Services. Lady Bradley has recently retired after 14 years as the Chief Executive of the charity… Continue reading
Paul Brearley JP DL
Paul was born in the City of Salford in 1962, the youngest of two children. Paul has a private sector work background in middle and senior administrative management roles. He has extensive experience in public service, having been a member of Salford Community Health Council from 1985 – 1995, serving 5 years as Chairman. In… Continue reading
Mrs Judith Bromley DL BA(Hons)
Judith was born and educated in Bolton and after studying for her Law Degree and Solicitor final examinations in Leeds she returned back home to Bolton to work as a solicitor, qualifying in 1988. She practises law at Russell and Russell solicitors and became the first female partner in the firm since its inception in… Continue reading
Dr Faye Ruddock DL RN BSc PGCE MSc PhD
Faye has a particular expertise in and is passionate about addressing health inequalities in the Black Caribbean and African community. She advocates to ensure that there is fairness and equity across health and social care for the Black community. Prior to joining academia, Faye had several years' experience in frontline practitioner roles within acute and community… Continue reading
Melanie Bryan OBE DL
Honoured with an OBE (New Year 2012) for her services to Social Enterprise and Women’s Enterprise in the North West, Melanie supports social enterprises, charities and businesses to grow sustainably and make a bigger positive difference. This includes by winning grant funding and public sector contracts. Wherever possible she offers her services through funded schemes.… Continue reading
David Catterall DL
Initially starting a career in 1994 in Hospitality and Catering, working both internationally and nationally, David moved into local government, working for Bury Council in 2009. Initially starting as a civic venue manager, David has built a successful career and is now Head of Commercial Services with a workforce of over 600 people. Whilst working… Continue reading
Atiha Chaudry DL
Atiha Chaudry has over 30 years of experience within the public, voluntary and community sectors and has worked for a range of organisations including the National Association of Local Government Women’s’ Committees, Newcastle City Council, the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES), and since setting up her consultancy company, Equal Access Consultancy in 2001 she… Continue reading
Darren Clark CStJ DL
Darren was born in Oldham and after leaving school began a career in accountancy. After some years in that role he joined a Funeral Directing company. Now after over 30 years in this occupation, he owns and manages three Funeral Director Companies in and around the Oldham area. Darren’s main interests in voluntary work have… Continue reading
Vicken Guy Couligian DL
Vicken is an active member of Manchester’s Armenian Community. He became Chair of the Trust which looks after the Holy Trinity Armenian Church (on Upper Brook Street) in January 2023, having been a Trustee since 2008. Vicken also chaired the Committee which organised a number of events to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the consecration… Continue reading
Lucy Danger DL, Chief Executive EMERGE 3Rs
Lucy has skilfully driven the EMERGE Group from its inception, as a voluntary pressure group, to its unique position as a leading Social Enterprise and recognised, trusted provider of commercial waste and recycling services across the Greater Manchester city-region. Now a ‘Captain of Social Enterprise’, Lucy was instrumental in setting up EMERGE in order to pioneer… Continue reading
Barry Dixon CBE QFSM MIFireE
Barry was born in Bury in 1951 and he joined the City of Manchester Fire Brigade as a Junior Fireman in 1967 aged 16 years. Following five years operational service at city centre stations, he was promoted to Leading Fireman in 1974 in the Greater Manchester County Fire Service. Barry has spent much of his… Continue reading