Happy New Year! And congratulations to the 1097 people who are starting 2020 with a huge accomplishment: receiving an honour from The Queen.
England Cricketer Ben Stokes, singer-songwriter Sir Elton John and Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain are among the famous faces receiving honours.
But we want to shine a light on the everyday, extraordinary people receiving the highest honours in the UK. Over a thousand people will receive awards as follows:
- 315 people to receive a British Empire Medal (BEM)
- 397 to receive a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
- 229 to receive an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
- 100 people receive the highest honour of Commander of the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
- 56 people to become Knights and Dames
Awards are given out for a multitude of reasons, and this year some of those outstanding statistics show that:
- 789 (72%) of the recipients are people who have undertaken outstanding work in their communities
- 556 of the recipients are women (51%)
- 8.7% of awards are for work in education
- Industry and the economy make up 12.3% of the List
- 14.6% of honours are for work in the Science, Technology and Health sectors
Inspiring Individuals
Honours are given to individuals who have gone above and beyond in their community, charity work, their industry or their field of interest/expertise (sports, arts, subjects etc.)
The level of honour, BEM, MBE, OBE, CBE, Knighthood or Damehood, is determined by the Main Honours Committee with guidance from The Queen, Prime Minister and members of the nine specialist committees that consider different areas of society.
This year the honours' system has continued to reward individuals who support children and young people to achieve their potential, enhance life opportunities, remove barriers to success and work to tackle discrimination.
How to nominate someone for a Queen's Honour
No-one receives an award without being nominated by a third party. So if you want to find out how to nominate someone for an honour, you can read our handy guide here.
Carry on reading to see just some of the people who made it on this year’s New Year Honours List and for what reason.
BEM
315 people will receive a British Empire Medal, including;
- Suzanne Barnley – For voluntary and charitable service
- Richard Frank Elam – For services to Business and the community in York
- Ruth Lachs – For services to Holocaust Education
- Isabel Susan Ingerid Oswell – For services to Public Libraries and Entrepreneurship
- Hannah Maria Phillips – For services to charity
- Lesley Anne Rudd – For services to UK Energy Markets and Clean Growth
- Paramjit Singh Sandhu – For services to Community Engagement
MBE
397 individuals will receive an MBE;
- Mark Edward Apsey – For services to Sustainable Energy and Energy Efficiency
- Helen Elizabeth Baden – For services to Diversity and Inclusion and the Industrial Strategy
- Elaine Margaret Billington – For services to Apprenticeships and Young People in North West England
- Christopher Bridgman – For services to the community in Wolverton and Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
- Heidi Lorraine Fisher – For services to Innovation in Social Enterprise and Impact Measurement
- Simon Graham Hunter – For services to Business and the Economy
- Sally Louise Preston – For services to Entrepreneurship
OBE
229 people will receive an OBE from The Queen at Buckingham Palace, including;
- Carl Jason Austin-Behan – For services to charity, LGBTQ+ Equality and the community in Greater Manchester
- Ruth Elizabeth Chapman – For services to the International Fashion Retail Industry
- Thomas Watson Chapman – For services to the International Fashion Retail Industry
- Dr Peter David Englander – For services to charity and Philanthropy
- Simon Neville John Everest – For services to International Trade
- Mr Keith John Morris – For services to the Insurance Industry and Philanthropy
- Barbara Anne Vest – For services to the Energy Industry
CBE
The New Year Honours List sees 100 people receive a CBE, including;
- Amanda Melanie Brooks – For services to Economic Growth
- Jonson Cox – For services to the Water Industry
- Ian Barrett Curle – For services to the Scotch Whisky Industry
- Elizabeth Fagan – For services to Gender Equality in Business
- Ross Maxwell McEwan – For services to the Financial Sector
- Keith Charles William Morgan – For services to Small Business Finance
- Philip Henry George Sellwood – For services to Public Policy on Energy Efficiency
Knights and Dames
Among those receiving knighthoods and damehoods are;
- Dr Caroline Allen OBE – For services to Education
- Teresa Colomba Graham CBE – For services to Small Businesses
- Professor Sarah Jane Whatmore FBA – For services to the Study of Environmental Policy
- Professor Anthony Kevin Cheetham FRS – For services to Material Chemistry, UK Science and Global Outreach
- Peter Kenneth Estlin – For services to International Business, Inclusion and Skills
- Andrew William Graham Wylie CBE – For services to Business and charity
You can find the full 2020 New Year Honours List here.
