DAME Kelly Holmes is to receive an honorary degree from the University of Kent.

The Olympic double-gold medal winner will be presented with the accolade at a ceremony in Rochester Cathedral in November.

The University is also awarding honorary degrees to Tom Butler, the Bishop of Southark, and Sir Graeme Odgers, chairman of Locate in Kent, the agency that encourages businesses to set up in the county, at a ceremony in Canterbury Cathedral.

Dame Kelly is one of Britain's most recognisable and admired athletes. She has won Olympic, World, Commonwealth and European medals as well as the ultimate sporting trophy - the Double Olympic Gold.

However, she is known not only for her medals, but for her committed approach and ability to overcome injury and illness.

She gave up her early promising athletic career when she joined the Army. She rose through the ranks to sergeant, but then faced a tough decision - the army or running. In 1997, she chose to make athletics her focus and career.

A desire to put something back into her sport after her Olympic success led Dame Kelly to set up training camps in Spain and South Africa to train and mentor young female middle-distance runners.

She was awarded an MBE in 1998 and was honoured by the Queen in the 2005 New Year's honours with a Damehood.

The Right Reverend Dr Thomas Butler was appointed Bishop of Southwark in 1998.

He was ordained as a priest in 1965 and after three years as a curate spent twelve years as a Lecturer in Electronics and as Chaplain, first at the University of Zambia and then at the University of Kent, where he remained until 1980.

He was then appointed Archdeacon of Northolt, before becoming Area Bishop at Willesden and being appointed Bishop of Leicester.

After taking an MBA at the Harvard Business School, Sir Graeme Odgers worked as a management and financial consultant.

In 1972 he was appointed director of the industrial development unit at the Department of Industry and went on to hold senior positions at a wide range of organisations, such as Tarmac plc, Alfred McAlpine plc and BT plc.

Sir Graeme became chairman of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in 1993 and was knighted for services to industry in 1997.

Sir Graeme is also chairman of the Kent and Medway Economic Board and a member of the Thames Gateway Partnership, the South East England Regional Assembly and Medway Renaissance.

He is also deputy chairman of the Kent Partnership and an Ambassador for Kent. Three years ago he became Deputy Lieutenant for Kent.