Helen Bingley OBE JP DL accepted an Honorary Fellowship and Susannah Clarke KPM received the Alumni Achievement Award
The University of Central Lancashire has recognised two women who have made their mark on the county’s health and justice systems.
Helen Bingley OBE JP DL, the current High Sheriff of Lancashire, has received an Honorary Fellowship while Susannah Clarke KPM, former police officer and Director of Lancashire Violence Reduction Network, accepted the Alumni Achievement Award.
The High Sheriff, who is the King’s official representative in the county for all matters relating to the judiciary and the maintenance of law and order, is a graduate and former staff member of the University.
During her career in healthcare, she rose through the ranks from nurse to executive director, chief executive and non-executive director of several NHS Trusts.
Her passion for access to good healthcare and education led to her establishing the Abaseen Foundation which supports some of the poorest populations in rural North West Pakistan to find a path out of poverty.
"I have been involved with the University for 40 years and I’m absolutely amazed that I’m here today"
— Helen Bingley OBE JP DL, the current High Sheriff of Lancashire
Helen, who received an OBE in 2019, accepted her award for the significant contribution she has made to the NHS in the North West.
She said: “I have been involved with the University for 40 years and I’m absolutely amazed that I’m here today.
“I came to this University as a student who would never ever achieve what I’ve achieved today without its widening access. I had no A levels and I couldn’t come on a full-time degree. I had to come in on a part-time degree and the University believed in me all that time ago.
“I did a Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies and an MBA and the rest is history. I’m now the High Sheriff of Lancashire and it’s all down to the University of Central Lancashire.”
Alumni Achievement Award recipient Susannah graduated in 1989 with a BA (Hons) in English and Linguistics. Following her degree, she joined Lancashire Constabulary and worked in numerous roles, both in uniform and in CID.
During her 32 years in the force, she undertook the role of Head of Public Protection and was the lead on child sexual exploitation, human trafficking, domestic abuse, and honour-based abuse.
"It’s 35 years since I graduated so it feels humbling, it feels like it’s gone in a flash"
— Susannah Clarke KPM, former police officer and Director of Lancashire Violence Reduction Network
She progressed through the ranks and held the position of Detective Chief Superintendent and Head of CID for Lancashire for a number of years.
Susannah retired from the police in 2022 and is currently the Director of the Lancashire Violence Network. Her work focusses on the social determinants and underlying drivers of vulnerability which cut across statutory and third sector partners as well as communities, and she is currently driving multi-agency work in trauma informed care for Lancashire.
Throughout her recent positions, she has actively collaborated on various projects with colleagues in the University’s Criminal Justice Partnership and regularly supports academics in their work.
She was recognised with the Police Superintendents’ Association Lifetime Achievement award and more recently she was awarded the King’s Police Medal in recognition of her career.
Susannah said: “It’s 35 years since I graduated so it feels humbling, it feels like it’s gone in a flash.
“Things have developed a lot at the University and I’m really grateful to be given the award because it’s given me the opportunity to reflect on everything that’s happened and also realise how lucky I was to come here in the first place.”
