A BAFTA winning actor, the first brother and sister to win medals at the same Olympic Games since 1908, and a Crown Court Judge who campaigns against discrimination and homophobia are among those to be awarded honorary degrees from Keele University.

The University is awarding seven honorary doctorates at its summer graduation ceremonies to inspirational people, for special recognition of their exceptional achievements in their field. They will receive the awards alongside thousands of students who are set to graduate in ceremonies from July 14 to 18 inside the University’s Chapel – including the first cohort from the Harper & Keele Veterinary School. 

This year’s honours are being given to:

• Actor Toby Jones; who won a BAFTA for Best Male Performance in a Comedy Programme for his role in The Detectorists, played the lead role in a TV series about the Post Office scandal and portrayed Neil Baldwin, a much-loved figure on Keele campus, in the BBC TV drama “Marvellous”;
• Cheshire siblings Tom and Emily Ford, who won gold and bronze medals in rowing at the Paris Olympics;
• His Honour Judge Edward Connell, a Keele alumnus, who helped set up the Association of LGBTQ+ Judges;
• Fellow Keele alumnus Dr Athula Attygalle, a globally respected chemist with more than 250 peer-reviewed publications;
• Keele alumnus Professor Abid Ali Malik, a leading authority in global mental health, intervention science, and translational research;
• Staffordshire actress and writer Rebekah Staton, who is known for playing Della in Raised by Wolves, and as Louise from Pulling, for which she was nominated for a British Comedy Award.

Professor Trevor McMillan OBE, Vice-Chancellor of Keele University, said: “We’re delighted to welcome all our honorary graduates to Keele University and recognise their exceptional achievements and outstanding contribution to society. It’s particularly pleasing to have three former students who have gone on to achieve great things joining us back on our campus, while we’re also welcoming four new people into the Keele family.  

“Graduation is always a special time at the University, when we celebrate with our graduates and their families and recognise all the hard work the students have put in throughout their studies. It’s an exciting time for students as they approach the next step in their lives and we wish them every success for the future.”

Richard Barnes, who served 17 years as Chief Financial Officer at Waterford Wedgwood and was a founding Director of Advantage West Midlands, the Regional Development Agency, will also be appointed to Keele’s College of Fellows.

Honorary degree recipients - summer 2025

Toby Jones OBE - Doctor of the University, in recognition of their work in the field of acting. 
Toby is an award-winning actor known for roles on stage and screen. He recently starred in Mr Burton and led the critically acclaimed, BAFTA award winning Mr Bates vs. The Post Office, earning him a nomination for Best Actor. Upcoming projects include ITV's The Hack with David Tennant, Apple's Hijack (series 2), Duke Johnson's The Actor, and Bharat Nalluri’s Flavia. Toby will also be making a return to stage this October in Othello at Theatre Royal Haymarket in London. Notable screen credits include Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Frost/Nixon, The Hunger Games, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and Detectorists. Stage work includes his Olivier Award winning debut in The Play What I Wrote and an Olivier-nominated performance in the titular role of Uncle Vanya at the Harold Pinter Theatre. 

Tom Ford - Master of the University, in recognition of their achievements in the field of rowing.
Tom started rowing at 13 years old at the Grange School, before moving to Newcastle University to study Geography and Town Planning and then for a master’s degree in international marketing. As part of the university's boat club, he was selected for Great Britain's U23 team in 2013 and 2014. Post-graduation, he joined the prestigious Leander Club in 2015 to start building a career in the sport.

He was first selected to join the senior national team in 2017. Since then, he has become a 2x World Champion, 5x European Champion, Olympic Bronze Medallist at Tokyo 2020, and Olympic Champion at the recent Paris 2024 Games. Tom is now studying for an MBA at Cambridge University.  

Emily Ford - Master of the University, in recognition of their achievements in the field of rowing.
Emily began rowing at the age of 11 at The Grange School, following in the footsteps of her older twin brothers. During her school years, she represented Great Britain at the Junior World Rowing Championships and the Australian Youth Olympic Festival, where she proudly earned bronze and silver medals. 

After school, Emily went on to study Fine Art at Newcastle University whilst continuing her rowing career. During this time, she competed in two U23 World Championships, achieving a silver and bronze medal. 

In 2024, Emily was selected for the Paris Olympic Games, where she won a bronze medal; a proud moment made even more special by sharing it with her brother Tom, who won gold. 

His Honour Judge Edward Connell - Doctor of Laws (Keele alumnus), in recognition of their contribution and dedication to equality and diversity within the UK.
After graduating from Keele with a degree in French & Geography in 1995, Edward completed a law conversion course at the College of Law before undertaking the Bar vocational course at the Inns of Court School of Law. He was called to the Bar in 1996 and practised for 23 years as a criminal barrister, prosecuting and defending in equal measure. In 2009 Edward was appointed a part-time Judge and then in 2019 was appointed a full-time Judge based at Isleworth Crown Court in West London. 

His diversity and inclusion work started in the world of football, setting up and managing a London-based LGBTQ+ football club which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary. For over 10 years he was the Campaigns Officer and then Chair of the GFSN (Gay Football Supporters Network) which ran the world’s only national LGBTQ+ football league and which campaigned against homophobia in football and he was involved in various initiatives including the ‘Rainbow Laces’ campaign.

He has continued his diversity and inclusion work in his judicial career. Edward is a member of the National Judicial Diversity Committee and sit on its LGBTQ+ subcommittee and in 2023 helped set up the Association of LGBTQ+ Judges.

Dr Athula Attygalle - Doctor of Science (Keele alumnus), in recognition of their work in the field of mass spectrometry.
Dr. Athula B. Attygalle is a globally respected chemist whose contributions to mass spectrometry and chemical ecology have had a transformative impact on both research and applied science. With over 250 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Attygalle’s work is widely recognised for its depth, innovation, and interdisciplinary reach. Thirty-five of his papers were co-authored with his mentor, Professor E.D. Morgan, at Keele.  According to Google Scholar, one of his papers with Professor Morgan has been cited 300 times in scientific literature.

His research has played a critical role in advancing analytical techniques, particularly in the structural elucidation of complex natural compounds at nanogram levels. Among his most notable achievements is the development and patenting of the Helium-Plasma Ionization (HePI) technique, which enables the efficient use of helium in mass spectrometry—a breakthrough with both economic and environmental benefits.

Professor Abid Ali Malik - Doctor of Science (Keele Alumnus), in recognition of their contribution to mental health research.
With over three decades of pioneering work spanning clinical practice, academic research, and strengthening health systems across the UK and Pakistan, Professor Malik has established himself as a leading authority in global mental health, intervention science, and translational research. His career has been distinguished by groundbreaking contributions to public mental health, particularly in low-resource settings, where he has spearheaded large-scale clinical trials, developed culturally-adapted psychosocial interventions, and advanced innovative task-sharing models.

As Head of Public Mental Health at Pakistan's premier Health Services Academy and Lead for Perinatal Mental Health Research at the Human Development Research Foundation, he drives policy-relevant research while shaping the next generation of mental health scholars through rigorous mentorship of Master's and PhD candidates worldwide. 

Rebekah Staton - Master of Arts, in recognition of their work in the field of acting.
Actress and Writer Rebekah Staton is known for playing Della in Raised by Wolves, and as Louise from Pulling, for which she was nominated for a British Comedy Award. Doctor Who fans will also know her as the Mother of Blood.

She is a regular reader and performer on BBC Radio 4 and narrates television programmes, including long-running TV series Don’t Tell The Bride. 

Staton was born in Leek and raised in Staffordshire. Beyond performing, Rebekah is an ambassador for the charity tender.org.uk, which runs drama-based workshops in schools to promote healthy relationships amongst children and young people and prevent domestic abuse.