Celebrities who live in Bucks, influential entrepreneurs and a former MP are among those to have been named as a 'Swan Envoys' as part of a new scheme to promote all that is amazing about the county.

Bourne End resident Lorraine Kelly and Penn television star Pauline Quirke are among 12 influential people who have been appointed a Buckinghamshire Swan Envoy. 

The Swan Envoy scheme is designed to harness the influence and enthusiasm of the individual Swans to inspire and encourage others and create one powerful network of voices, working together with the council and its partners, to promote Buckinghamshire as a thriving and exciting county. 

Former Aylesbury MP David Lidington, Chiltern Rangers co-founder John Shaw, top Marlow businesswoman Angela Spang, Martin McElhatton, wheelchair basketball Paralympian and chief of the charity WheelPower, radio presenter and comedian Andy Collins, Maytree Respite Centre CEO Karen Irons, Aylesbury Women's Aid chief April Benson and Jane Campbell, another successful Bucks businesswoman, have also all been appointed. 

They are also joined by two inspirational young residents - Keyaan Hameed, 15, a youth ambassador for One Can Trust, and Alice Rose, a 17-year-old who set up Alice's Positivity Boxes during the pandemic in to help those who were struggling with mental health issues, who were permanently in hospital or those who are underprivileged. 

Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council said: “I’m delighted to welcome our founding Swan Envoys.

"I would like to thank each and every one of them for their willingness to share what I know is some of their very valuable and limited time, to support, motivate and showcase the great people and communities that we have in our special county.

“We already know that Buckinghamshire is a great place for so many reasons, and together we can help spread that message and inspire and encourage everyone to believe in Buckinghamshire.”