Figures from Rose Bruford College have been recognised in The King’s Birthday Honours List. Recipients include Daniel Swift, a current PhD student and Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Concrete Youth, has been awarded an MBE. Acclaimed actor and alumnus Gary Oldman has received a Knighthood for services to Drama, while Honorary Fellow Adjoa Andoh has also received an MBE for services to Drama.

Daniel Swift MBE

Daniel Swift’s MBE recognises his services to the arts and people with disabilities. His research at Rose Bruford College focuses on bespoke sensory theatre experiences. At just 28, Daniel is one of the youngest leaders in the UK’s arts sector to receive such recognition, reflecting his unwavering commitment to inclusive cultural experiences for audiences labelled with profound and multiple learning disabilities.

Speaking about the honour, Daniel said:

“I’m incredibly humbled to receive this honour. I want to thank my colleagues at Concrete Youth – our trustees, casts, creatives, technical crews, education practitioners, partners, and every team member past, present and future. This recognition belongs to all of them.

I also want to thank our audiences for their ongoing support. You are the reason we do what we do. I will continue to champion you and work alongside you to push for a more inclusive arts sector, together with our exceptional team.

I stand on the shoulders of the extraordinary sensory artists and companies who have come before me and who continue to shape this sector. I’m endlessly grateful for all they’ve taught me—and I’ll do everything I can to honour their legacy by giving back to the community that has given me so much.

Most importantly, I’m delighted that this honour marks a moment of visibility for sensory theatre created for and with audiences labelled with profound and multiple learning disabilities—an audience that has long been underrepresented in the arts. I will use this honour as a platform, taking every opportunity it brings to continue supporting this community, championing their right to cultural participation, and pushing for greater inclusion, representation, and visibility—not just in theatres, but across society.”

A close up of Gary Oldman with long, slicked-back hair and a grey beard, wearing large glasses and a heavy dark scarf, set against a moody teal backdrop. His expression is serious and contemplative, and the dim, shadowy lighting adds a gritty, noir-like atmosphere to the portrait.

Gary Oldman in Slow Horses, now streaming on Apple TV+ | Photo: Apple TV+

Sir Gary Oldman

Gary Oldman, who graduated from Rose Bruford College in 1979, was awarded a Knighthood for his distinguished contributions to drama. Over his celebrated career, Oldman has earned an Academy Award, three British Academy Film Awards, two Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, a Golden Globe, and a Screen Actors Guild Award, alongside nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards and two Independent Spirit Awards.

Upon receiving the honour, he said: “To be included in the long lineage of extraordinary actors, artists, and others who hold this title fills me with indescribable humility and pride. It is emotional, humbling and flattering all at the same time to be recognized amongst them.”

Oldman’s career began on stage at the Royal Court Theatre and with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He gained recognition in British cinema with roles in Sid and Nancy (1986), Prick Up Your Ears (1987), The Firm (1989), and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990). He went on to international acclaim with performances in State of Grace (1990), JFK (1991), and Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), and wrote and directed Nil by Mouth in 1997.

Adjoa Andoh at Rose Bruford College

Adjoa Andoh at Rose Bruford College

Adjoa Andoh MBE

Honorary Fellow of Rose Bruford College Adjoa Andoh received an OBE for Services to Drama. With a distinguished career spanning stage and screen, Andoh has established herself as a national treasure of the performing arts. Her notable works include Invictus (2009) alongside Morgan Freeman, the iconic British drama Casualty, and Richard II (2018), which she conceived and co-directed while playing Richard in the UK’s first all-women-of-colour Shakespeare production.

With the record-breaking Netflix hit Bridgerton, Andoh’s performance reached more than 82 million households and earned her a nomination for the NAACP 2021 Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress.