Saturday, 31 December 2016

8 Brilliant People From The New Year's Honours List that You Never Heard Any Of Them

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The New Year's honours list has been announced and you may have spotted a few familiar names on it this year *Victoria Beckham, cough*.

The list recognises the achievements of a wide range of extraordinary people right across the United Kpingdom, so who are the others? Who are the people quietly working to better the world, only now receiving the recognition they most definitely deserve?

Here are eight amazing people from the honours list that you probably haven't heard of... but should know about.

1. An MBE for Marcia Shakespeare

West Midlands Police volunteer.

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Marcia, whose daughter was killed in a gang attack, is being honoured for her service in educating young people against gun and knife crime and gang involvement.

Her daughter Letisha was shot dead back in 2003, along with her cousin Charlene Ellis, as they both got caught up in a bitter gangland feud which played out on the streets of Birmingham.

2. An OBE for Dr Martin Warren

A leading butterfly expert.

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Dr Martin Warren, who has just retired as chief executive of wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation - an organisation he joined in 1993 as its first ever member of staff - has been recognised for his work to protect butterflies and moths.

Butterfly Conservation now employs more than 70 staff, manages 34 nature reserves and runs what it describes as the world's largest insect citizen science project, the Big Butterfly Count, which gets the public to record the butterflies they see.

He has published more than 300 scientific papers and reports and co-authored several books also helps manage the Butterfly Conservation reserve at Alners Gorse in North Dorset.

3. A CBE for Justine Roberts

Co-founder and CEO, Mumsnet and Gransnet.

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Justine began Mumsnet back in early 2000 after embarking on a "disastrous" family holiday. Her idea was to create a website where parents could swap advice about, not just holidays, but all the other stuff parents talk about.

Sixteen years later and Mumsnet is now the UK's biggest network for parents, with over 9.4 million unique visitors per month clocking up over 91 million page views, according to their website.

4. An MBE for Josh Littlejohn

Co-founder of Social Bite the 'sandwich shop with a difference'.

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Josh and partner Alice Thompson founded Social Bite - a growing chain of sandwich shops which is run as a social business - where 100% of its profits go to good causes, and a quarter of their staff are formerly homeless people.

Social Bite has welcomed famous faces such as George Clooney and Leonardo DiCaprio to support its project Feeding the Homeless.

5. An MBE for Alan Woodhouse
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The 83-year-old volunteer charity worker, who has been helping people for nearly 57 years and is Samaritans' longest serving volunteer, will be honoured for services to vulnerable people.

The Merseyside pensioner and former teacher has trained hundreds of new recruits, raised vital funds and is always ready to help his colleagues.

6. A KBE (Knight Commander) for The Right Reverend James Jones
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The Bishop is being rewarded for his services to bereaved families and justice following his work as chair of the Hillsborough Independent Panel, as appointed by the Home Secretary.

He continues to serve as adviser to the Home Secretary on Hillsborough as new investigations proceed, chairing a forum that brings together the families of the 96 with the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the Crown Prosecution Service and Operation Resolve. This enables them to be informed of the investigations into the deaths of their loved ones.

7. A CBE for Dr Donald McCarthy

The former chairman of House of Fraser.

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Donald is one of the most influential people in fashion, a prominent business leader in the retail sector and a committed philanthropist.

He has made a long standing and generous commitment to the Royal Marsden Hospital and heads the charity RetailTRUST, providing help to those in the industry struggling with financial issues through loss or bereavement.

8. An MBE for...glassblowing?
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Finally, the first ever honour for services to glassblowing has been awarded to Thomas Young.

The master craftsman, who has been glassblowing for more than 60 years, began work as an apprentice glassmaker aged 16 learning the technical skills to create scientific glassware and working for firms which supplied scientific instruments.

He worked in universities before setting up his own business and a few years ago came out of retirement to found Angels' Share Glass with his daughter. He also is attempting to train up apprentices to keep the industry moving.


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