New Year Honours: Hundreds of unsung heroes receive recognition in latest list

Published

11 months ago

December 31, 2024

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More than 1,200 people from across the UK have made it on to this New Year’s honours list, with a lot of famous faces getting recognised.

But while Gareth Southgate, Stephen Fry and Keely Hodgkinson may make the headlines, hundreds of unsung heroes have been recognised for their services to the country’s communities.

Here’s a small selection of the honour recipients from around the UK.

‘A bereaved mother is not to be messed with’

The co-founders of a group supporting families affected by male violence have been made Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year Honours.

Carole Gould and Julie Devey, co-founders of Killed Women, started campaigning after their daughters, Ellie Gould and Poppy Devey Waterhouse, were murdered in their homes.

Both daughters were killed when they ended relationships with their killers.

Now, Ms Gould and Ms Devey are campaigning to see an increase in the starting tariff for murders in the home, from 15 years to 25 years, the same as for killings outside the home.

They say it is “insulting and disrespectful to those women to say that their lives are worth 10 years less”.

“By accepting the OBEs it will continue to shine a light on our campaigning and will keep the many unjust issues surrounding violence against women and girls in the spotlight,” said the co-founders in a statement.

“A bereaved mother is not to be messed with.”

‘All I’ve ever wanted to do is help one person’

A man who raised more than £700,000 for cancer charities said being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) has pushed him to raise even more.

Ivan Black, 62, from Co Tyrone, began raising money after his brother Ian died from leukaemia aged 23.

He then lost his sister to breast cancer and his father to stomach cancer.

“All I’ve ever wanted to do is help one person,” he said.

“When I received the notification I couldn’t read the letter, I had tears in my eyes.”

Mr Black said he wanted to dedicate the honour to everyone who is battling cancer.

He said: “My brother, my sister, my father, this is all for them.

Joint youngest recipient

The joint-youngest person on the honours list is also being recognised for her charitable work in cancer.

18-year-old Mikayla Beames was diagnosed with cancer at just four years old.

She has now been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) after founding Team Mikayla, a charity that grants the wishes of children suffering from cancer and has raised more than £300,000 to do so.

‘Working families are in need of support’

The founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, a parental rights organisation, said her MBE is “important recognition” of the struggles faced by working families.

Joeli Brearley, who is stepping down from the charity after ten years, said being recognised for her services to working families is “what it’s always been about”.

“I think that people don’t really understand how much working families are in need of support right now,” she said.

“The childcare crisis, the issues of parental leave, low-paid work, there’s just so many problems.

Ms Brearley said the charity should “hold [Labour’s] feet to the fire” on its manifesto pledges as it reviews parental leave and introduces new employment rights.

OBE for shipwreck hunting may boost mission

A shipwreck hunter who has been made an OBE hopes the honour will help bring a historic anchor back to the UK to commemorate the Windrush generation.

David Mearns is part of a team trying to bring the anchor of HMT Empire Windrush to the surface.

The ship arrived in Essex in 1948, carrying primarily Caribbean migrants answering Britain’s call to address post-war labour shortages.

It sank off the coast of Algeria in 1954 and now, the Windrush Anchor Foundation is trying to recover its 1.5-tonne anchor to put it on permanent display.

“We want to recover that stern anchor, restore it, and bring it back to England and use it as a centrepiece in a public monument, a memorial to celebrate the contributions that the Windrush generations and their descendants have made to this country in terms of immigration and a positive force for multicultural Britain,” said the 66-year-old.

“I will volunteer my time gladly to make that project happen – it’s five years in the making, and hopefully this OBE will help raise the profile of that.

Mr Mearns said he has located 29 major shipwrecks in the past.

UK

England and Scotland fans discover where their opening World Cup games will be played

Published

12 hours ago

December 6, 2025

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England and Scotland fans discover where their opening World Cup games will be played

England and Scotland fans have found out where their World Cup group games will be played when the tournament kicks off in June.

England, who are in Group L, will begin their tournament against Croatia in Dallas at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 17 June. They will then go on to face Ghana in Boston at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 23 June and Panama in New Jersey, New York, at 5pm EST (10pm BST) on 27 June.

Scotland are in Group C, and their first match will be against Haiti in Boston at 9pm EST on 13 June (2am GMT the following morning).

They will go up against Morocco also in Boston at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 19 June and then Brazil in Miami at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 24 June.

Fans are expected to rush to sort their travel and accommodation plans now that they know where and when the matches take place.

Wales and Northern Ireland have yet to find out if they will qualify.

Wales must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.

If they beat these play-off opponents, they will secure their place in Group B alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.

However, Northern Ireland will also be vying to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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World Cup 2026 – who England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will play

Published

1 day ago

December 6, 2025

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World Cup 2026 - who England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will play

Scotland and England now know who they will face in the group stage of the next summer’s world cup.

But the fates of Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Wales won’t be determined until they compete in pre-tournament play-off matches in March.

England are in Group L along with Croatia, Panama and Ghana. Their first match will be against Croatia, who beat them in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Scotland’s first match will be against Haiti, in Group C.

Brazil and Morocco are the other Group C teams – both countries were also in the same opening group as Scotland in the 1998 World Cup in France.

Wales have yet to find out if they will qualify as they must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, and then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.

If they can overcome these play-off opponents then they will secure their place in Group B along with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland. But Northern Ireland will also be vying and hoping to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Republic of Ireland also need to get through the play-offs first and are paired against the Czech Republic for their semi-final. Should Ireland win that match, they will need to beat either North Macedonia or Denmark to get to the finals where an opening group containing joint hosts Mexico, South Africa and South Korea awaits.

UK

Crafted for one man – this was a World Cup draw like no other

Published

1 day ago

December 6, 2025

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Crafted for one man - this was a World Cup draw like no other

This was a World Cup draw like no other. Crafted less for the teams but for one man.

The choice of venue. The creation of a new trophy. The closing music act.

Donald Trump was lavished with the adulation he craves by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and feels others unfairly deny him.

Knowing how much being overlooked by the Nobel Committee hurt the US president, there was Mr Infantino with FIFA’s newly-created Peace Prize to hand over. And a medal for Mr Trump to wear.

“This is truly one of the great honours of my life,” he said. “And beyond awards, Gianni and I were discussing this. We saved millions and millions of lives.”

This was all on the stage in front of an audience who turned up to find out who they will be playing at the World Cup.

England handed an undaunting route past Croatia, Panama and Ghana. Scotland paired with newcomers Haiti before tricky reunions from their last men’s World Cup in 1998 against Brazil and Morocco.

But the show before the draw could even begin – presided over by Rio Ferdinand – took almost as long as a football match, at 87 minutes after the noon kick-off was delayed.

There was a walk of self-promotion to complete – “I guess they have to wait” – before taking his seat in the Kennedy Center. Or the Trump Kennedy Center as the president takes to calling the venue picked 1.5 miles from the White House.

“It was falling apart,” he said, delaying the walk into the auditorium. “And now it’s, it’s pretty much back.”

Mr Infantino could only watch on, beaming, at his friend.

“We had a dead country,” Mr Trump went on, “and now we have the hottest country anywhere in the world”.

There was the awkwardness of being reminded, before receiving the peace accolade, about threats to launch military strikes on Venezuela to stop the drugs trade.

“I did settle eight wars, and we have a ninth coming,” he swatted away the question. “Which nobody’s ever done before. But I want to really save lives. I don’t need prizes.”

But FIFA knew how much he wanted more gold for the collection with the prize.

More on this story:
What draw means for England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland

And for all the mockery and disdain targeted at FIFA, how many sports would relish having the US president spend several hours attending a procedural event determining the placing of teams in groups for a tournament?

How many would dish out the same flattery to secure direct lines to the leader of the nation staging their championship?

Many have benefited from Mr Trump’s stardust and swagger being attached to this spectacle.

Even Port Vale’s most famous fan – Robbie Williams – secured a walk-on role, exceeding his profile this side of the Pond.

And the Village People are reaping the rewards of becoming the unlikeliest of Trump hype acts.

The festivities ended with eyes fixed back up to the presidential seating and the YMCA dance being performed.

This was an afternoon that dispelled any pretence that FIFA keeps a distance from politics. It was unapologetically political. But few speak out in the FIFA world as the redistributed wealth keeps rolling back in their direction.

It would be easy to forget this isn’t entirely America’s World Cup. They’re sharing hosting with Canada and Mexico.

And eventually the spotlight was ceded to their leaders – very briefly – as Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney drew out their countries’ names.

But it did live up to FIFA’s mantra that football can unite the world.

The neighbours were brought together here on a snowy day in Washington. And tensions – often stoked by Mr Trump with Canada and Mexico – thawed in the name of football.