OUTRAGEOUS comedienne Jo Brand is to receive an honorary degree from the University of Kent.

She is among a number of people to be honoured, including quadriplegic Hilary Lister, from Dunkirk, and Paul Bennett, director of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust.

One of Britain’s best known comics, Miss Brand began her career as a stand-up comedienne in the mid-1980s.

By 1993 she had her own series on Channel 4 and since then has guested on programmes such as Have I Got News For You, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and QI.

Miss Lister, who went to King’s School, made national headlines when she became the first quadriplegic to sail single-handed across the Channel.

Mr Bennett, who became director of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust in 1984, acts as archaeological consultant to the Diocese of Canterbury and Canterbury City Council, and is advisor to Canterbury Cathedral.

Other recipients of honorary degrees at ceremonies to be held at Canterbury Cathedral and Rochester Cathedral in July and November include: Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, former leader of Kent County Council; novelist David Mitchell, who graduated from the University; leading constitutional and monarchy expert Dr David Starkey; Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, born in Broadstairs, who wrote the film score for Far From The Madding Crowd and Four Weddings and a Funeral; Helena Kennedy, QC, whose legal record embraces the Brighton bombing trial and the Guildford Four appeal; Gabriel Josipovici, one of Britain’s major literary figures; Freeman Dyson, professor of physics at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princetown; and Dr Declan Doogan, who joined Pfizer at Sandwich in 1982 to lead their sertraline clinical development programme.

The Canterbury Cathedral ceremonies are July 11, Professor Gabriuel Josipovici, Dr David Starkey, Paul Bennett; July 12, Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, Prof Freeman Dyson; July 13, Dr Declan Doogan, Baroness Helena Kennedy, Sir Richard Rodney Bennett; November 17, Jo Brand, David Mitchell.

Hilary Lister receives her honorary degree at Rochester Cathedral on November 15 at 2.30pm.