New Year Honours List Celebrates Heroes Across the UK
This year’s New Year Honours list recognizes over 1,200 individuals from diverse sectors, shining a spotlight on extraordinary achievements and community contributions. The list celebrates well-known figures and unsung heroes alike, highlighting the UK’s spirit of service and dedication.
Among the headline honorees, Gareth Southgate, former England football manager, is knighted for guiding the national team to consecutive Euros finals and his charitable work with youth-focused initiatives like the Prince’s Trust.
Actor and mental health advocate Stephen Fry also receives a knighthood, reflecting his efforts to change attitudes toward mental health and his environmental activism. Fry called the honour “startling and enchanting,” reflecting on his tumultuous childhood and eventual transformation.
Sports
The sporting stars of the Paris 2024 Olympics are prominently featured, with 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson, rower Helen Glover, and trampoline gymnast Bryony Page receiving MBEs. Paralympian Sabrina Fortune is also awarded an MBE after shattering her world record in the F20 shot put. Eleanor Aldridge, who made history by clinching the first-ever gold in kiteboarding, joins the list of celebrated athletes.
Disability Advocates
The list highlights stories of resilience and community spirit, such as Mikayla Beames, an 18-year-old cancer survivor who raised over £300,000 through her charity, Team Mikayla, which grants wishes to children battling cancer. She receives the British Empire Medal (BEM). Similarly, Rebecca Clarke, 20, earns a BEM for championing disabled and autistic youth through her advocacy and policy contributions.
Four former sub-postmasters join list for their roles in Post Office scandal
Recognizing justice efforts, four former sub-postmasters—Lee Castleton, Jo Hamilton, Christopher Head, and Seema Misra—receive OBEs for their roles in exposing the Post Office Horizon IT scandal, described as the UK’s most widespread miscarriage of justice.
Arts
From the arts, Kazuo Ishiguro, author of The Remains of the Day, joins the exclusive Companion of Honour list, limited to 65 members. Past recipients include Sir Winston Churchill and Sir David Attenborough. Jacqueline Wilson, beloved children’s author, is named Dame Grand Cross for her literary contributions, while Damehoods go to Professor Alison Fuller for higher education advancements and MP Emily Thornberry for her political service.
Local heroes like Anne Croucher, who provided care home residents with Easter treats, and Malcolm Fletcher, co-founder of the Ely Military Band, are also celebrated. Their efforts exemplify the grassroots contributions that define the honours.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer applauded the honorees, calling them “the very best of the UK.” The honours, awarded by the King, continue to recognize achievements in public service, sports, the arts, and everyday acts of kindness.
