Congratulations to the 1148 people who have started the New Year with an incredible accolade; an honour from The Queen.

The 2019 New Year’s Honours List features celebrities, sports professionals and extraordinary individuals, honouring them for their achievements, dedication to charity, and outstanding work in their chosen industries.

Famous faces on the list include Gareth Southgate, the current England football manager who led the 2018 World Cup team to the semi-finals. Also on the list;

• Geraint Thomas, who was awarded an OBE for his win at the Tour de France and achievements in cycling.
• Monty Python star Michael Palin, who received a knighthood for his services to travel, culture and geography following his career as a documentary writer and presenter.
• Fashion icon Twiggy, who has been awarded a Damehood for her services to fashion, charity, and the Arts.

But the New Year’s honours list doesn’t just recognise the famous faces we see on our TV and at big sporting events, The Queen gives the vast majority of the awards to the brave, selfless and honourable individuals for their services to the country, their community and industries. A breakdown of recipients shows that;

• 70% of the recipients are people who have undertaken outstanding work in their communities either in a voluntary or paid capacity
• 544 women are recognised in the List, representing 47% of the total
• 12% of the successful candidates come from a BAME background
• 4% of the successful candidates consider themselves to have a disability

Every year we are proud to help a variety of nominees’ colleagues and family members to nominate their comrades and loved ones, and this year we saw one awarded an MBE for services to their particular industry. A truly deserving individual, and we couldn’t be happier to have helped their family to get them the inspirational recognition they deserve! Find out more about how a nomination works here.

Honours for Economic Activity

This year, 10% of the New Year’s honours were given to industry and economy professionals.

The Economy Honours Committee has awarded Jayne-Anne Gadhia CEO of Virgin Money a Damehood for her services to financial services and women in financial services. Senior Vice President of Europe Pharmaceuticals for GSK, Nicola Yates has received an OBE for services to Women in Business and Workplace Equality.

The Honours Committee also recognised the following entreprepreneurs with OBEs, Tom Blomfield, founder and CEO of Monzo and Paul Lindley, Founder of Ella’s Kitchen. Amali De Alwis, CEO of Code First Girls, received an MBE for her outstanding work and dedication to women in tech.

How do you get an OBE, MBE, CBE or Knighthood

The honours' system rewards people for their outstanding achievements, those who have shown great commitment to serving and supporting the UK, and those who have demonstrated exceptional service to their industries, communities and professional disciplines.

If you have made life better for others, led a public service, inspired others with measurable results, or influenced others by excelling at what you do… or you have a friend, family member or colleague who is doing any of the above, you should consider if you or they are eligible for an honour from The Queen – all you need is the nomination to start the ball rolling!

Anyone can be nominated for an Honour. However, the entry process is not to be taken lightly.

Creating a nomination involves compiling an outstanding narrative, testimonials and evidence, then putting it together in a clear, cohesive way that fits the unique criteria for each level of honour. Once submitted, it can take between 12–18 months, or often much longer, to get a response.

The entries are rigorously checked by an Honours Committee to decide who shall receive the prestigious awards in either The Queen’s Birthday Honours List in June or in the New Year Honours List. In total, there are around 2200 awards given out every year!

What receiving an Honour from The Queen could do for you

Receiving an honour is such a huge achievement – it’s a true legacy for you and your family. When you receive an honour, you are invited to Buckingham Palace and presented with your medal by The Queen or a member of the Royal family. Your name and achievements are published in major national and international publications and if you are awarded a Damehood or Knighthood you receive the title ‘Sir’ or ‘Dame’, for other honours you have the letters of the award added to your name.

In a professional capacity, receiving an honour cements your leading position in your industry – it tells people you are dedicated, passionate, and truly inspirational. There is no higher accolade to achieve, and the doors it opens are incredible, helping you to do even more good things in the future!

What a remarkable platform for sharing your story with others and motivating more people to look after their communities or expand their profession with their commitment!

Who do you know could be worthy of an Honour from The Queen

Get in touch to book a confidential call with Donna O’Toole, who has successfully overseen hundreds of honours applications and truly knows what it takes to win. Contact us today to find out if your candidate could be in line for an honour too, and maybe we’ll be seeing a name you know on next year’s Honours List.

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