Mother of murdered teenager to be honoured for anti-racism charity work

The mother of murdered teenager Anthony Walker who founded a charity in her son’s name to combat racism will be made an MBE by the Princess Royal.

Dr Gee Walker has devoted her life to tackling prejudice after her 18-year-old son was killed by two racist cousins in Merseyside in 2005, and she will be recognised for services to diversity and racial injustice.

Anthony’s killing by Paul Taylor and his cousin Michael Barton, the brother of former Premiership footballer Joey Barton, prompted widespread condemnation at the time.

Gee Walker’s son Anthony was killed in 2005 (Martin Rickett/PA)

The Anthony Walker Foundation works to tackle racism, hate crime and discrimination by providing educational opportunities, victim support services and by promoting equity and inclusion for all.

Other inspiring individuals who have established charities will also be recognised by Anne during the Buckingham Palace investiture.

Mark Steadman is co-founder and chief operating officer of Lone Buffalo, an English tuition and youth development organisation based in the town of Phonsavan in Laos, a landlocked country in south-east Asia.

The ceremony will be conducted by the Princess Royal (Mike Egerton/PA)

The project was started in 2011 in memory of a Laos man called Manophet, also known as Lone Buffalo, who died in 2010.

He dedicated his life to helping others, spending his days clearing unexploded ordnance from the Vietnam War and his evenings teaching English to local residents.

Mr Steadman will be made an MBE for services to youth development.

Philip Dudderidge, founder and chairman of Focusrite, a global firm that supplies hardware and software used by professional and amateur musicians and the entertainment industry, will be made an OBE for services to the music industry and business.

The entrepreneur began his career working as Led Zeppelin’s touring soundman in 1970, later launching a major PA systems company before finding further success with Focusrite.