Glittering prizes

Peter Cochrane , former chief technologist for British Telecom and a co-founder of ConceptLabs, has been awarded this year's City and Guilds Prince Philip Medal .

Sir Paul McCartney has awarded the title of Liverpool School of Performing Arts Companion to singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading , songwriter Benny Gallagher and former Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren .

The University of Sheffield has awarded honorary degrees to: Edward Cullinan , architect; Stephen Daldry , theatre and film director; Adam Hart-Davies , writer and television presenter; Vanessa Lawrence , director-general, Ordnance Survey; The Lindsays , a string quartet (Peter Cropper, Ronald Birks, Robin Ireland, Bernard Gregor-Smith); Douglas Liversidge , chairman, South Yorkshire Learning and Skills Council; Sir Brian Moffat , chairman, Corus Group (formerly British Steel); Peter Redgrove , poet and writer; Sir Ralph Robins , chairman, Rolls-Royce; and emeritus professor John Ward , former consultant physician, Royal Hallamshire Hospital.

The University of Sunderland has awarded honorary degrees to: Lord Bragg of Wigton , broadcaster and novelist (DArts); David Almond , children's author (DLitt); Gennady Bordovsky , rector of Herzen University, St Petersburg (DEd); and Tim Lovel , former medical director of St Benedict's Hospice, Sunderland (DSc). Honorary fellowships go to Peter Skinner MEP, and Syd Pennington , managing director of Royal & SunAlliance's direct and retail division.

The University of Leicester has awarded honorary degrees to: Jean Humphreys , for her contributions to the development of the University of Leicester (MA); John Robertson Young , British High Commissioner to India (LLD); Hugh Greenwood , businessman, (LLD); Colin Humphreys , professor of materials science at the University of Cambridge (DSc); John Taylor , director general of the Research Councils (DSc); Elvy Morton , who has contributed to community relations in Leicester (LLM); Gerry Cinderby , member of the University's Council (LLD); Jack Spence , director of studies at the Royal Institute of International Affairs (DLitt); Richard Pearson , economist and director of the Institute for Employment Studies (DLitt); Liam Donaldson , chief medical officer in the Department of Health (DSc); and Brian Follett , former vice-chancellor, University of Warwick (DSc).

Jonathan Elvidge , founder of The Gadget Shop, has been awarded an honorary doctorate of business administration by the University of Lincolnshire and Humberside .