It is extraordinary, and wonderful – I’m
MIDWIFE’S DELIGHT AS SHE IS MADE AN MBE BY THE QUEEN
THESE are the inspirational Huddersfield people who have been recognised in the New Year Honours list for 2021.
The annual honours recognise people who have achieved extraordinary things in their field, presented by or in the name of the Queen. This year’s list sees local heroes made Members of the British Order and awarded British Empire Medals.
From dedication to helping new mothers, to supporting their local community or going the extra mile during the coronavirus pandemic, these recipients from Huddersfield and surrounding areas do their region proud.
NHS workers, care workers, mental health nurses, police and fire services are being recognised in the New Year Honours list. Among those receiving awards are charity volunteers who have helped those in need.
They join the likes of Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, music star Craig David and legendary England footballer Jimmy Greaves.
has been made an MBE for services to postnatal care.
A midwife since 1975, she founded the Calderdale Baby Cafe in 2002, a service which has aided countless new mothers by providing expert clinical and social support as they begin their journey into parenthood.
She said: “When I received the news from the Cabinet Office, I was shocked, surprised and thrilled in equal measure.
“It is surreal, extraordinary and wonderful. I am overwhelmed and absolutely thrilled but also immensely proud and I feel privileged to have been recognised in this way.
“I could not have achieved this award without the support of Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust who have enabled me to lead and develop maternity infant feeding services.”
The 42-year-old from Honley has been awarded a BEM for services to the community in South Leeds during Covid-19.
He refocused his arts organisation’s work to leading the community response in Holbeck, transforming the venue and organisation into the Covid-19 community response hub for Holbeck.
His belief in creating a resource for the local community has always been at the centre of the work of Slung Low and this has driven the response during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The company receives referrals from Leeds City Council and local charities as well as self-referrals.
By mid-December, his team and 100 volunteers had dealt with 8,000 referrals, delivering food parcels, picking up prescriptions and supporting those who are isolated and lonely.
The 31-year-old from Fixby has been awarded a BEM for services to retail customers during the Covid-19 response.
A senior programme manager for Asda Ltd Online Grocery, during the pandemic she led on the innovation using ASDA systems to quickly enable priority access for vulnerable customers.
Crucially she played a huge role in setting up a specific delivery pass (called the priority pass) for extremely vulnerable customers identified by DEFRA and the devolved governments.
This has allowed ASDA to support more than 400,000 extremely vulnerable people during such a worrying time, and when they might not have been able to get essentials elsewhere. since 2008 as National Director of Altogether Better, an NHS network organisation, she earned a reputation as a pioneer and thought leader in the field of volunteering in NHS services.
Her work has gained national and international recognition and what began in 2008 in Yorkshire & the Humber has since spread Englandwide and internationally.