The Chief Executive of the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), Lesley-Anne Alexander, has been awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in Saturday's Queen's Birthday Honours List.
Lesley-Anne received the accolade in recognition of her services to the voluntary sector.
Since joining RNIB, Lesley-Anne has been instrumental in rationalizing and modernising the sight loss sector with innovations such as forming the RNIB Group of charities. The Group includes RNIB, Action for Blind People, National Talking Newspapers and Magazines and Cardiff, Vales and Valleys, who bring their complementary strengths and expertise together to support an ever increasing number of blind and partially sighted people.
She was also the driving force behind the development of the UK Vision Strategy, a ground breaking initiative which brought together the sight loss sector for the first time, unified behind the aim of achieving a major transformation in the UK's eye health, eye care and sight loss services.
In addition to her role at RNIB, Lesley-Anne is also Chair of Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations, (ACEVO), the leading voice for chief executives in the third sector.
In her role as Chair Lesley-Anne has been passionate about developing the individual abilities of sector CEO's, ensuring that talent amongst emerging leaders is both recognised and nurtured so that the sector's impact is maximised for the generations that follow.
Lesley Anne said: "I am absolutely delighted to receive this CBE in recognition of the great work that the RNIB Group does in providing innovative new solutions to deliver the best services possible to blind and partially sighted people. I have always been passionate about driving innovation in the voluntary sector and the creation of the RNIB Group and the UK Vision Strategy are initiatives that will stand the test of time and provide real benefits to blind and partially sighted people across the UK.
"With my ACEVO hat on, it is brilliant to be amongst those third sector leaders recognised in today's honours.
"I am lucky to have worked with such fantastic people across the years and across the voluntary sector - trustees, staff, supporters and it is on their behalf that I accept this honour."
Commenting on Lesley-Anne's honour, Kevin Carey, Chair, of the RNIB Group, said: "Lesley-Anne has made an enormous difference to the lives of hundreds of thousands of blind people through her structural reform of the sector and countless acts of individual kindness.
"One rarely meets somebody who is both compassionate and fearless and it is unique to meet somebody who is equally committed to her own enterprises, the sector in which it works and the voluntary sector at large."
Sir Stephen Bubb, Chief Executive of ACEVO said: "As Chair of ACEVO Lesley- Anne has demonstrated fantastic thought leadership. In particular through her determination to assert the collective power of the sector to bring about changes to the way our country is governed for the better.
"I admire Lesley-Anne both as the feisty leader of one of the world's great charities, as a determined chair of ACEVO battling for the sector as a whole, and as a thoroughly likeable and amusing colleague."
Lesley-Anne has always worked in the Public and Voluntary sectors and, before joining RNIB was Director of Operations for the Peabody Trust, one of the UK's largest housing associations and regeneration agencies. Before this she held various posts in local government with her final post being Director of Housing with the London Borough of Enfield.
In addition to her roles at RNIB and ACEVO, Lesley-Anne currently Chairs the UK Vision Strategy Group. She is married, has one son and lives in Middlesex.
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For further information, interviews with Lesley-Anne Alexander and publication quality photographs please contact:
Susan Fiddian, Senior Manager, Public Relations, telephone 020 7391 3291 or email
susan.fiddian@rnib.org.uk. Outside office hours call 07968482812.
Notes to editors
About RNIB
Every day another 100 people in the UK will start to lose their sight. There are around two million people in the UK with sight problems. RNIB is the leading charity working in the UK offering practical support, advice and information for anyone with sight difficulties. If you, or someone you know, has a sight problem RNIB can help. Call RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit www.rnib.org.uk
About the UK Vision Strategy
The UK Vision Strategy is a framework for improved eye health and sight loss services across the UK. The strategy is a VISION 2020 UK initiative led by Royal National Institute of Blind People. The Strategy was developed in response to the World Assembly's VISION 2020 resolution, the Strategy seeks to reduce avoidable sight loss by the year 2020.
About ACEVO
ACEVO The Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations www.acevo.org.uk is the professional body representing charity and not-for-profit sector chief executives in the UK, with over 2000 members. The broad not-for-profit sector now employs the full-time equivalent of 1.5m staff, with a collective annual turnover of £46bn. ACEVO is committed to improving third sector leadership skills worldwide.