A woman who has inspired adults to keep learning despite originally leaving school at 16 has been rewarded in King Charles III's first New Year's Honours.

Anne Gornall, 67, has received an MBE in the New Year’s Honours list for services to Further Education and skills.

Anne has worked in the education sector for 30 years and said she was not expecting to receive such an honour.

She said: “I am quite shocked really. I am very surprised and excited, especially for my family who will be delighted.

“I have worked in further education and skills for all my adult career really.

“It’s lovely but I am just very surprised.”

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Anne left school at 16 and started working at Blackburn Town Hall but was inspired by her colleagues to go into further education, so decided to take her A-Levels at Blackburn College before completing a degree at the University of Keele in Psychology and Sociology.

Her opportunity to get a better education is what inspired her to make a career in the sector.

Anne added: “I had the opportunity to go to university because they encouraged me and were mentors for me which is a really important thing to have.”

Anne moved around a lot during her life due to her husband’s career, living in London, Germany and even Texas.

Before moving to Texas, Anne worked in education at Harlow College where she was a lecturer and assistant principal in community education.

She left here and moved to Texas but when she returned to the UK 30 years ago, Anne went back into further education.

She worked in Scotland for nine years before moving back to the North West.

While in the North West, Anne worked for The Manchester College in offender learning skills and the Skills Funding Agency in the North West Relationship Team.

Now, Anne is the Executive Director at Greater Manchester Learning Provider Network and has been since May 2014.

She is also vice chair of Oldham College and co-chair at the Northern skills network.

She added: “I have worked with a lot of really good people and I have a really good team now.

“I have always been well supported.”