The Queen has awarded a knighthood to the Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex, Peter Field, in the New Year Honours List.
Sir Peter, 74, has been the lord lieutenant – the Queen’s representative – in the county, including Brighton and Hove, since August 2008.
He was previously the vice lord lieutenant for eight years and has been recognised for his exceptional service to the crown.
Unlike most honours, Sir Peter’s honour – Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) – is in the personal gift of the monarch.
Sir Peter said that he was “surprised and extremely honoured” to have been awarded a knighthood. He said: “This award is in the personal gift of Her Majesty so it was very unexpected and humbling.
“I was born in Brighton, and my wife in Hove. We have loved the city and East Sussex and all of the communities here.
“Sussex people are amazing with the support they give each other and in their community spirit – especially now in this pandemic.
“I retire in August and it has been a total privilege to represent our monarch in such a lovely part of the United Kingdom.”
Sir Peter was a chartered surveyor and used his skills and professional knowledge to help and support the single homeless for many years.
He helped introduce the Foyer Federation charity to Britain and has worked with several Sussex housing associations including Brighton Housing Trust and the Southdown Housing Association.
He was a magistrate for 20 years before he became lord lieutenant and chaired the Brighton and Hove Business Community Partnership from its inception in 1994.
For many years Sir Peter served on the south east leadership team for the Prince of Wales’s charity Business in the Community (BITC) and became the Prince of Wales’s ambassador for the south east in 2003.
And for more than 10 years he chaired Brighton and Hove’s Regeneration Partnership which contributed to many of the changes to the fabric and culture that are visible today.
Sir Peter is the patron or president of about 40 local organisations in keeping with the monarch’s request that he provide encouragement and support for all sections of the community.
This includes supporting and encouraging military organisations, the business sector, statutory undertakings and charitable and voluntary groups.
He sits on the board of several commercial companies in the county and taken an active interest in developing and supporting social enterprise, youth employment and environmental initiatives in particular.
See who else was honoured in the latest list from among those who live, work and have links with Brighton and Hove.
