Mid Sussex residents awarded royal honours for their work

Dr Rachael Liebmann, consultant histopathologist at the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to pathology.

She has been hailed as one of the world’s top 100 most influential pathologists.

Meanwhile, David Curtis-Brignell, from Cuckfield, has been awarded an MBE for services to tourism. He recently stepped down as deputy chief executive of Visit Kent, Visit Herts and GoToPlaces and was previously chairman of Visit England’s English Tourism Week.

Dr Liebman has worked at the Queen Vicgtoria Hospital since 2014 and specialises in breast and skin pathology.

She is also vice president of the Royal College of Pathologists and also works at The Doctors Laboratory and Health Services Laboratories as group medical director and is the secondary care consultant on a Clinical Commissioning Group.

She was recently involved in setting up the pathology support for the London Nightingale Field Hospital and also oversaw the establishment of a resources hub to help provide guidance over Covid-19 work.

She said: “To be awarded an OBE for my services to pathology is an absolute privilege and is due to the amazing support I have had from my colleagues.

“It is really a testament to the recognition of the importance of pathology tests now more than ever.”

Meanwhile, tourism expert David Curtis-Brignell has for the past five years led the destination management organisation Visit Kent where he also

launched Visit Herts and was instrumental in starting up the trading arm, GoToPlaces.

David is now looking at ways to help businesses and tourism and hospitality staff affected by this year’s downturn as a result of Covid-19.

He was also organist and choir director at Holy Trinity Church, Cuckfield, for 12 years and previously at St Wilfrid’s, Haywards Heath.

Bill Ferris, chairman of Visit Kent and Go To Places, said: “David has been an inspirational leader within the hospitality and tourism sector throughout his career.”

Deirdre Wells, chief executive of Visit Kent, Visit Herts and GoToPlaces added: “David is a true tourism legend whose contribution to GoToPlaces and Visit Kent has been matched only by his decades of dedication to the UK’s visitor economy.”