Felicity Mendleson, the senior learning and development officer at Newcastle City Council, and a UNISON union learning representative (ULR) has been awarded an MBE in the Queen's honours list for services to skills training in local government.

Mendleson was one of the very first people to attend a TUC unionlearn ULR course in 1999 and has since been integral to the success of the council's flagship learning project. She also featured in the unionlearn regional film, A Region for Learning, where she spoke about the culture of learning at Newcastle City Council.

"Whilst this is a personal honour for me, I see it as recognition of the positive contribution made by ULRs across the country to the skills agenda and to the personal development of their colleagues at the workplace," said Mendleson.