A WOKINGHAM doctor who has become a familiar voice to BBC Radio Berkshire listeners has been awarded a CBE in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Dr George Kassianos was cited in the honours, which have been delayed since June due to the coronavirus pandemic, for his services to travel medicine and general practice.
Since lockdown, he has been a regular guest on the radio station’s breakfast programme, answering questions about Covid-19 from listeners and the show’s hosts, including Kirsten O’Brien.
The doctor is the president and one of the founders or the British Global & Travel Health Association, and two years ago joined the European Scientific Group on Influenza (ESWI) Board of Directors.
He is also a GP, and worked from Ringmead Medical Practice in Birch Hill for 38 years before his retirement. He has also served as a GP tutor and chaired the Bracknell Forest Primary Care Trust (PCT) Professional Executive Committee between 2000 and 2005.
A Greek Cypriot, Dr Kassianos studied medicine in Poland with a scholarship from the International Union of Students (IUS) where he graduated with honours at the Medical Academy of Lodz.
He trained as a General Practitioner at the London Hammersmith and St. Mary’s Hospitals before joining Ringmead in Bracknell, Berkshire in 1979. He retired from the Practice in 2017 after 38 years of service.
Elsewhere, British Bake Off star Mary Berry was awarded the title of Dame. She moved to neighbouring Henley last year.
Her honour was for her work in home economics, which included working on Ideal Home magazine and numerous television programmes, starting with Afternoon Plus in the 1970s. Her series included Mary Berry’s Ultimate Cakes.
In 1966 she published her first cookery book, The Hamlyn All Colour Cookbook. She has published over 70 cookery books, selling over five million copies around the world.
In 2011 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Guild of Food Writers in recognition of her work as a celebrated cookery writer.
Elsewhere, a BEM has been awarded to Clare Marie Johnstone for services to Nursing during Covid-19. She was the head of infection prevention and control at the Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust.
Professor Jason Lowe, the head of climate services for the Met Office was awarded an OBE for services to Climate Science. He is based in Bracknell.
And, as we reported earlier, Sandhurst School deputy headteacher Sam Hunt was awarded an MBE for her work which has included transforming lives of those affected by the Rwandan Genocides.
