UEA Vice-Chancellor Prof David Richardson said: “We take great pride in honouring those who make valuable and notable contributions to society alongside our newest cohort of graduating students and it’s always a delight to hear the words of wisdom they can impart at our graduation ceremonies.”
Dr Hugh Milroy, a former RAF Wing Commander and Gulf war veteran who served for 17 years, has been chief executive of Veterans Aid since 2005. He was awarded an OBE in 2012 in recognition of his outstanding work on behalf of homeless ex-servicemen and women.
Dr Milroy took over as head of Veterans Aid after a 17-year career as an RAF officer during which time he was the final station commander of RAF Swanton Morley, near Dereham, Norfolk. His youngest daughter Sophie was born in Norwich and he still maintains a strong East Anglian connection.
His concerns about the lack of research about homelessness among veterans led him to study at UEA for a Masters and PhD in Social Work in 2000. His MA looked at the effect of military service on armed forces personnel and families in general, while research for his PhD was conducted among street homeless veterans.
Hugh has transformed Veterans Aid to become the leading UK charity for veterans in crisis, drawing on both his distinguished service career and his research at UEA.
In addition to receiving the honorary doctorate, Dr Milroy has also just been made an Honorary Visiting Fellow in the School of Social Work. He said: “I am both delighted and honoured to become an Honorary Visiting Fellow within a School that I regard very much as my academic ‘home’. The school has a long history of being at the very pinnacle of social work training and research and it is very exciting for me to become involved in such a practical way.
“Using my knowledge and considerable experience in the field to enhance the work of the School is something that I regard as vital because veterans and their families comprise a significant part of the nation. It is inevitable therefore that social workers will be involved with them, but the world of veterans in the UK is something that is frequently mythologised and exaggerated within the media, health service, criminal justice system, charitable sector and social care service. It is vital that our future social work leaders have a sound working knowledge of facts and issues rather than folklore.”
UEA graduation ceremonies will take place from 18-22 July, with more than 4,000 students graduating and joining the university’s 120,000 existing alumni.
Honorary degrees are given each year by the University to honour those who have made an impact in fields such as the arts, science and civil society.
