 Darke was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to sport.Darke graduated from the University of Leeds in 1992 with a degree in Chemistry and Geological Science.Darke has a doctorate in geology from the University of Aberdeen which she gained in 1996 and an MA from the University of Cumbria in development training and diplomas in performance coaching and traditional Chinese medicine.