Prison inspector and Christian Aid chair Anne Owers has been made a dame in recognition of her services to the criminal justice service.

HM Chief Inspector of Prisons since 2001, Dame Anne has often spoken out against prison overcrowding and government plans for large-scale prisons. She became chair of Christian Aid in November 2008.

The award of the Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) recognises Dame Anne’s “pre-eminent contribution” to her field of work.

Christian Aid director Daleep Mukarji said he was “delighted at this official recognition of Dame Anne’s outstanding work”.

A committed human rights campaigner, Dame Anne has held the award of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) since 2000 for her work in a number of voluntary and public posts.

Others in the public service to receive honours included the former president of the Royal College of Surgeons, Bernard Ribeiro, the head of the Terrence Higgins Trust, Nick Partridge, and the former chair of the Housing Corporation, Peter Dixon.

But it was sports champions who dominated this year’s Honours List. Swimmer Rebecca Adlington, who won two gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, received an OBE (Order of the British Empire), while triple gold-winning cyclist Chris Hoy was made a knight.

Formula One world champion and committed Christian, Lewis Hamilton, was awarded an MBE after winning the title in only his second season.