Lifetime Achievement Award

This award was awarded to Lord Kirkham CVO, founder of DFS, for his outstanding and continued contribution to the Doncaster economy.

About The Lord Kirkham CVO
Graham Kirkham was born on 14 December 1944. A miner's son, brought up in Edlington, Nr Doncaster, South Yorkshire and has lived in the area all his life. He was educated under the Grammar School system at Maltby Grammar School in South Yorkshire. Not proceeding into further education he started the business now known as DFS Furniture Company in 1969 when he was 24.

DFS has 78 stores nationwide plus 3 factories here in the UK. A vertically integrated manufacturing and retailing company in the upholstered furniture industry, it is the biggest furniture manufacturer of its type in the UK and the biggest retailer of quality upholstered furniture in the World. DFS was a successful private company for 24 years and was listed on the stock exchange in 1993, joining the Footsie 250 shortly afterwards. DFS was de-listed from the stock exchange when Graham Kirkham succeeded in buying back the company from the shareholders in 2004. The Kirkham Family own 100% of the shares in DFS and Graham Kirkham holds the position of Executive Chairman.

He was married in 1965 and has two adult children and five grandchildren.

He was honoured with a Knighthood in the Queen's December Honours List 1995, for his work for the Animal Health Trust and Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, and elevated to the peerage in July 1999. He received the CVO in the Queen's Birthday Honours List 2001.

He was made an Honorary Member of Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1995, an Honorary Fellow of the Animal Health Trust in 1997 and Deputy President of the Animal Health Trust from 2003. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Bradford University in 1997. Graham Kirkham a strong advocate of the North received the Yorkshire Television accolade of 'Yorkshire Man of the Year' in November 2004.

Graham Kirkham is actively involved with many charities, including:
Outward Bound Trust (Deputy Patron)
Duke of Edinburgh's Award. (Vice Chairman)
Animal Health Trust (Deputy President).
Chairman of Executive & Industry Committees & Member of Council of Management).
The Blue Cross (Vice President).

He is an Honorary Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers