Host of fundraisers recognised in 2024’s New Year’s Honours List
Melanie May | 3 January 2024 | News
Fundraisers, charity founders, staff, and volunteers are among the 1,277 people recognised in this year’s New Year’s Honours List.
Fundraisers in this year’s Honours List
Those recognised for their fundraising include:
Nine-year-old charity founder and fundraiser Tony Hudgell, who has become the youngest ever recipient of a New Year Honour. Awarded a BEM for services to the prevention of child abuse, he has raised over £1.8mn for the hospital that saved his life after he suffered horrific abuse as a baby. Along with his adoptive mother, he founded the Tony Hudgell Foundation in 2021 to support and help vulnerable children, and has also inspired an English law change to increase prison sentences for those convicted of child cruelty and neglect.
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Gillian Millane and Hannah O’Callaghan, Co-Founders of Love Grace, have been awarded OBEs for services to charitable fundraising and tackling violence against women. The mother and cousin of Grace Millane, who was murdered while backpacking in New Zealand set up the charity with the aim of empowering victims of domestic abuse after her death.
Ian Woodroffe, Founder of easyfundraising, has been awarded an OBE for services to charitable fundraising.
Sarah Ballantine has been awarded an MBE for services to charitable fundraising in Northern Ireland.
Broadcaster Pamela Ballantine has been appointed MBE for her charitable fundraising.
Macmillan Cancer Support fundraiser David Clifford received an MBE for services to charitable fundraising in Clackmannanshire.
Piano soloist Margaret Fingerhut, who led a campaign using the music of Ukrainian composer Sergei Bortkiewicz to raise money for emergency vehicles in Ukraine, receives an MBE for services to music and charitable fundraising.
Founder of The Boom Foundation Leona O’Neil, has been recognised with an MBE for services to charitable fundraising for people with sarcoma.
Other charity sector awards
Other sector-related awards include the following.
Damehoods and knighthoods
The Health Foundation’s Chief Executive, Dr Jennifer Dixon, has been awarded a damehood for services to the NHS and public health. Her work has included shaping and ensuring funding of four national commissions since 2020 and, during the Covid-19 pandemic and cost of living crisis, ensuring that the Foundation donated £6mn in emergency assistance to UK charities and voluntary organisations, and over £5mn research funding.
Also awarded a damehood was Dianne Jeffrey, a leading force in the creation of Age UK and Age International’s founding Chairman of the Board, and philanthropist Marit Mohn who, to date, has given over £100mn across education and the arts as well as culture, science, heritage and the advancement of health.
Family Action Chief Executive, David Holmes has been awarded a knighthood in recognition of his services to children and families.
Holmes commented:
“It is such a great privilege to lead Family Action and our tremendous team of staff and volunteers. I am reminded every day when I see the impact of our work just how lucky I am to be Family Action’s Chief Executive. I am proud of the recognition this award gives to Family Action’s tireless support of families across the country and on a personal level I feel very honoured.”
Philanthropist Gerald Ronson has also been awarded a knighthood. Over the years he has contributed over £100mn to charitable causes and has led fundraising efforts to raise more than £200mn. Causes supported by Ronson include in the health and cultural sectors, community safety, social care especially for Jewish communities, and Holocaust commemoration.
Founder of Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity and the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre, Felicity Ann Dahl was awarded a damehood for services to philanthropy, to literature and to young people.
CBEs
Refuge chair Hetti Barkworth-Nanton has received a CBE for her services to people affected by domestic abuse and domestic homicide.
Andrew Scattergood, Chief Executive of the Royal Parks charity, has been awarded a CBE for services to heritage and charity.
Vivien Waterfield, Deputy Chief Executive of the charity, Home-Start UK, has been awarded a CBE for her dedicated work for families and children over a quarter of a century.
OBEs
Neil and Angela Dickson have been awarded OBEs in recognition of their work establishing the Brain Tumour Charity.
Alzheimer’s Society Chief Executive Kate Lee has been awarded an OBE for services to charity.
Lee commented:
“I have been very lucky to spend my career leading amazing teams to deliver deep and meaningful impact for people who need support – including here at Alzheimer’s Society.
“Every day dedicated colleagues are providing help and hope for the 900,000 people living with dementia across the UK. This award is as much about their achievements as mine. Some of it has been tough but most of it has been unbelievably rewarding. This award is a lovely way to mark the success of all the incredible organisations I’ve worked with across a diverse and vibrant charity sector.”
David Farnsworth, Managing Director of City Bridge Foundation, has been awarded an OBE for services to the voluntary sector in London.
In his 10 years at the helm, Farnsworth has overseen a reorganisation of the organisation’s governance structure and the launch of a new brand bringing together its role as a bridge owner and charity funder.
He also played a key role in supporting communities affected by the Grenfell fire in 2017 and the Covid pandemic, working closely with the charity’s trustee, the City of London Corporation. Next year, he will complete a nine-year term as chairman of London Funders, the umbrella organisation which represents funders across the capital.
Farnsworth said:
“I feel very humbled to receive this honour, which is a reflection of the efforts of the many extraordinary people I’ve had the privilege of working with for the benefit of London’s communities.
“Both of my grandfathers were working class orphans from London, which makes me reflect on how lucky I am to have such an interesting life and to enjoy a role of such diversity.
“I hope in the future we can continue to work with partners for a London which retains its magic, its diversity and its energy but which makes real progress in addressing the deep inequality that still exists in the capital.”
Camilla Bowry has been awarded an OBE for services to charity. Bowry is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sal’s Shoes, based in Surrey, which donates school shoes to children in need. As of November 2021, she had collected over 2,750,000 pairs of shoes and donated them to 52 countries.
Tony Collins, Deputy Chair of Hospice UK, has been awarded an OBE for services to healthcare and community.
Foundations Executive Chair Josh MacAlister has been awarded an OBE for his services to vulnerable children.
MBEs
Josephine Segal and Vanessa Crocker, co-founders of north London-based charity Spread a Smile, have both been awarded an MBE for services to seriously and terminally ill children and their families.
Alice Hendy, founder and chief executive of Ripple Suicide Prevention, has been awarded an MBE for services to online safety.
Stamma vice chair Deborah Johnston has received an MBE for her work around stammering in higher education.
Spread a Smile’s Co-Founders, Josephine Segal and Vanessa Crocker, have both been awarded an MBE for services to seriously and terminally ill children and their families.
Founder of the Hygiene Bank, Lizzy Hall has been recognised with an MBE for services to tackling hygiene poverty. With over 530 volunteers and 190 local projects across the UK, The Hygiene Bank has so far redistributed more than 1,500 tonnes of hygiene products to over 1,500 Community Partners across the country, including food banks, schools, refuges and homeless shelters.
Hall said:
“I am honoured to receive an MBE, but this accolade really belongs to all the volunteers who tirelessly work to collect, pack and deliver basics to support people who cannot afford to buy shampoo, a toothbrush or nappies. I am proud to accept this award on behalf of each and every one of them. We won’t stop until we end hygiene poverty in the UK.”
GOOD’s CEO and Founder Chris Norman has been awarded an MBE for his services to the business and charitable sectors.
BEM
Stephen Elsden, Chief Executive of Compaid, a mentor and Vice Chair for Kent and Medway Charity Mentors, Board Director for Stronger Kent Communities, a Fellow of the RSA and Ambassador for Pilotlight received a BEM. Elsden is also a former Trustee of the CIOF and former editor of Professional Fundraising magazine.
- Fundraisers and charity leaders about Queen’s New Year’s Honours list award recipients (31 December 2020)
- UNICEF invites you to put your money where your mouth is at New Year (26 December 2015)
- 10 fitness-related fundraising events for the New Year (3 January 2023)
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About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.