On receiving the award, Gary said:

"I am so honoured and grateful to the Institute for the award of Fellowship. Licensing has been a labour of love for me for many years because, at its core, is human enjoyment. Whether we are trade, licensing or environmental health officers, police, lawyers, Councillors or consultants, when we are at our best we are enablers of human fun. When we get it right we increase the sum of human happiness. So the pursuit of excellence in licensing is an honourable journey. The Institute is the standard bearer and hand-maiden of that task. So I feel privileged to have been able to make my own small contribution to the work of the Institute and the practise of licensing in the UK."

The Institute of Licensing is the professional body for licensing practitioners, representing regulators (local authority and police), private practice and industry practitioners across the UK.  

The award was announced at the Institute’s National Conference which was held from 17-19 November 2021.