The King’s first Birthday Honours List for 2023 has been announced!
1,171 people have been awarded OBEs, CBEs, MBEs, Damehoods and Knighthoods, and British Empire Medals. With a 50:50 split, of male and female recipients, and 52% of recipients are people who have carried out work in their communities.
Every year there is a focus in the media about the celebrities, broadcasters, sports people and politicians who receive honours, but the majority of honours go to everyday people going above and beyond to support their communities.
And that’s who we want to shine a light on and celebrate their fantastic achievements.
CHARITY CHAMPIONS
The oldest recipient on the list is 106-year-old Ms Joan Willett from Hastings, who has been awarded for her fundraising efforts for the British Heart Foundation. Raising £60,000 for the charity by completing a 17-mile walking challenge.
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, CEO of the BHF, said;
“Joan is just such an exceptional person, and her incredible fundraising for the BHF during the pandemic touched all of our hearts. It's just wonderful to see her recognised in the King's birthday honours list.”
Also honoured is Paul Harvey for raising more than £1.5m for dementia services and spreading awareness of how musical ability can survive memory loss. The former music teacher and composer with dementia has been awarded an OBE.
BUSINESS LEADERS RECOGNISED
British business leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators are among the names being awarded for their exceptional services. Just some of the names include;
- Ann Bentley, Global Board Member, Rider Levett Bucknall. For services to Construction.
- Michael Cherry, Lately Chair, Federation of Small Businesses. For services to Business and to International Trade;
“I am hugely honoured and obviously delighted to have been put forward for this award, and my thanks to everyone who gave me their support in what we did for businesses and international trade while I was privileged to be National Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, as well as my congratulations to everyone else recognised in this year’s Birthday Honours.”
- Damian Hopkins, Founder, The Radius Group. For services to the Retail Industry.
- Phillip O’Dell, Lately Director of Flight Operations and Chief Test Pilot, Rolls-Royce. For services to UK aviation.
- Gary Shaughnessy, Chair, Z Zurich Foundation and Parkinson’s UK. For services to Business and to Charity.
- Stephen Welton, Founder and Chair, BGF. For services to Small Businesses and to Entrepreneurship.
- Amar Latif, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Traveleyes. For services to the Visually Impaired and to Entrepreneurship;
“I would never have imagined in my wildest dreams that my achievements would be recognised and acknowledged in this fabulous way, and I am so so humbled!
I’m incredibly grateful to all that have joined me on the journey to get here. I have worked very hard to overcome barriers and preconceptions that people have had of me as a blind person, and I set up Traveleyes, the world’s first commercial tour operator, to provide independent group travel for people who are blind, vision impaired and fully sighted because tour operators didn’t cater for people like me.”
- Sandra Strong, Chair, Customs and Export Licensing Committee, British Exporters Association. For services to British Exporters.
- Penelope Taylor, Head, Newark College and Air and Space Institute. For services to Skills and Employment in Newark and Sherwood, Nottinghamshire.
- Elizabeth Noël Harwerth, Chair UK Export Finance. For services to International Trade
You can find the full list of Honours recipients here.
NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR AN HONOUR
Receiving an Honour from The King is the highest level of recognition an individual can receive. And as we’ve seen, you don’t need to be a celebrity or public figure to be recognised!
So if you know someone who has made a big impact on charity, their industry or their community – why not put them forward?
The nomination process is free and anyone can do it, the official Honours' webpage provides all the information you need to get started.
Most people doing incredible things slip under the radar and seldom put themselves forward for awards, but receiving recognition is so important to celebrate their achievements and can even provide motivation for them to carry on and continue to help even more people.
If you have a friend, colleague, family member or community leader who is inspiring, making a difference, and even changing lives, let them know you appreciate them and start their nomination today.
