Cheryl Cunningham (pictured) and Rosemary Peters-Gallagher, both Portstewart women with strong links to the University of Ulster, received awards in the New Year Honours list.

Cheryl, who is Provost’s secretary at the Coleraine campus, received an MBE in recognition of almost forty years of dedicated professional service to the University, while Court, Council and Audit Committee member Rosemary Peter-Gallagher has been awarded an OBE for services to business and the community in Northern Ireland

She was appointed to the University on 4 December 1967 and for some years now has been the longest-serving full-time member of staff on the Coleraine campus.

Having completed her training at what was then the Coleraine Technical College, Cheryl worked for the Eagle Star Group, firstly in Coleraine and then in Birmingham, before travelling to Vienna in the summer of 1967 to work as an 'au pair'.

It was from there that she applied for a post at the University in Coleraine. Most of her early service was in the School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, with Professor Amyan MacFadyean and then with Professor Palmer Newbould.

She followed the latter when he became Acting Vice-Chancellor before the foundation of the University of Ulster in October 1984, and then continued as his Personal Assistant when he subsequently became the first Provost of the Coleraine campus.

Cheryl has continued in the Provost's Office since then, working successively with Professors Findlay Swinton, Aidan O' Reilly, Peter Roebuck and the current Provost, Professor Alan Sharp.

The current Provost at Coleraine, Professor Alan Sharp, said: “Cheryl has been a colleague of the highest calibre: hard-working, thoroughly professional in her approach to a key job, skilled in her relations with both staff and students, and splendid in dealing with our many links with the local community. Her award is richly deserved and will be a source of keen satisfaction to her many friends and colleagues here.”

Cheryl's mother, Mrs Maureen Cunningham, who passed away in December, knew of Cheryl's award before her death. As her son and Cheryl's brother, Brian, said:"In her last days, the award gave her huge pleasure and deep satisfaction."

There was also an OBE for University Court, Council and Audit Committee member Mrs Rosemary Peters-Gallagher in the New Year Honours list.

Portstewart woman Mrs Peters-Gallagher is a partner in Moore Stephens Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors and Business Advisors.

She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland and a member of the Institute of Directors, serving on the Professional Development Committee of the latter.

Mrs Peters-Gallagher is also a panel member of the Appropriate Authority, which deals with the administration of criminal legal aid in Northern Ireland.

She is also a Non-Executive Director Northern Health and Social Services Board.

For further information, please contact:

David Young
Telephone: 028 90366074
Email: David Young