OLYMPIC gold medallist Katherine Grainger will be given an honorary degree at next week's graduation celebrations at Bucks New Uni.

The Marlow rower has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate to mark her success and achievements in sport as an Olympic and world champion rower and will receive her award on Wednesday.

Her international rowing career took off in 1997 and since then she has won six world championships.

She won three Olympic silver rowing medals at Sydney, Athens and Beijing and in 2012 she won the Olympic gold with Anna Watkins in the double scull.

Katherine said: "I'm absolutely thrilled to accept an Honorary Doctorate from Bucks New University. It was a wonderful surprise and huge honour when I received the letter."

The BBC’s director of music Bob Shennan, who is also controller of BBC Radio 2, BBC 6 Music, and BBC Asian Network, will be given an Honorary Doctorate on Tuesday in recognition of his role as one of the most significant controllers of BBC radio in recent years and having been at the top of music, news and sports programming and broadcasting.

The Amersham Road, High Wycombe resident led Radio 2 through the high profile transition of Terry Wogan's departure from Wake Up To Wogan after 17 years, to the launch of The Chris Evans Breakfast Show in 2010.

Darren Henley, the managing director of Classic FM, will be bestowed with an Honorary Doctorate on Tuesday as well in recognition of individual outstanding achievement in a major subject and discipline area offered by the university and being an eminent and recognised expert on music, education and a highly committed support of music and event management courses.

In addition, Frances Alexander, who lives in High Wycombe, is a former chair of Wycombe District Council and Mayor of High Wycombe and current chair of Wycombe Environment Centre; Charles Vernon, of Amersham Road, High Wycombe, a highly committed university supporter and recently-retired group CEO of international company Gloster Furniture; and Barbara Poole, of Amersham, who is chief executive of the voluntary organisation People’s Voices, in High Street, Prestwood, will also be recognised at this year’s ceremonies.

They will be joined by Brian Tranter, former deputy chair of BNU’s Council, who lives in High Wycombe; Professor David Sines, former pro vice chancellor of the Faculty of Society and Health at BNU; and Dr Abdullah Dahlan, chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Business and Technology (UBT) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in being recognised.

And the graduation ceremonies for 1,500 students will take place at the Wycombe Swan Theatre from September 8 to 12.

Professor Ruth Farwell, vice chancellor of Bucks New University, said: "It is with great pleasure that we bestow these honorary awards. Our awardees are chosen in recognition of their outstanding achievements in their fields and because they are an inspiration to our graduating students. Once again, we are proud to be awarding a celebrated group of individuals this year."