Displaying items by tag: New Years Honours List

Aberdeenshire solicitor Gordon M Hay has been awarded an MBE for his pioneering translation of the entire Bible into Doric, a variant of the Scots language. Spanning 17 years, his work includes the New Testament, published in 2012, and the Old Testament, completed in 2022. This milestone marks the first time the entire Bible has been translated into any Scots dialect. Hay’s translation journey began in 2006 when he was asked to translate passages for the Buchan Heritage Society's annual Doric service. Encouraged by the positive reception, he embarked on the monumental task of translating both Testaments, producing over 800,000 words. His contributions have garnered recognition from the Scottish Parliament and royal circles, with invitations to read at Crathie Kirk by the now King Charles III. A dedicated Church of Scotland elder for 30 years, Hay also translates literary classics, writes Doric nursery rhymes, and plays the organ. He remains an active cultural ambassador for the Doric language.

Tobias Weller, 11, from Sheffield, who has cerebral palsy and autism, is to receive the British Empire Medal (BEM). He began raising money for charity when he was 9, inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore’s example. He used his walker to complete a 70-day marathon challenge, raising £100,000 for charity. He completed his latest challenge - an Ironman - in September and has raised over £157,000 for Paces School, where he is a student, and the Children's Hospital Charity. Tobias is the youngest-ever recipient of the BEM, and indeed on the honours list. He said, ‘I'm chuffed to bits to be the youngest recipient of such an incredible honour’.

Mike Pilavachi, Bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkin, and four Irish priests were all awarded the MBE in the New Year’s honours list. Pilavachi, who founded the Soul Survivor movement, has been honoured for his services to young people. Bishop Rose, who is now bishop of Dover after serving as chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons for nine years, was recognised for services to young people and to the CofE. The award also went to Northern Ireland's singing priests (Frs Eugene O'Hagan. Martin O'Hagan, and David Delargy) for their music and charity work, and to Fr Stephen McBrearty in recognition of his prison chaplaincy work. In addition, Wynne Roberts, a hospital chaplain, received the British Empire Medal for charitable services after raising £250,000 for charity since he began his Elvis tribute act six years ago.

Joel Edwards received a CBE for tackling poverty and injustice. Mervyn Thomas, founder and chief executive of CSW, was made a CMG, for working for religious freedom and advocacy on behalf of persecuted Christians globally. Stephen Addison received an OBE for services to young people in London; he founded Box Up Crime after leaving gang life behind. Gary Streeter, an MP since 1997, is the chairman of Christians in Parliament, mentors younger MPs, and is about to be knighted. Rev Paula Vennells received a CBE for services to the Post Office and charity. Margaret Atkinson received the MBE for services to the church and community in Huddersfield, and Rev Janet Lesley Jackson received an OBE for services to bereaved families.

James Jones, the former Bishop of Liverpool, who chaired an independent panel of inquiry into the Hillsborough football disaster, has been knighted in the New Year Honours list for services to bereaved families and justice. Bishop Jones was widely praised for his chairmanship of the panel, which concluded that many of the deaths at Hillsborough might have been avoided with better medical care. Bishop Jones said that he had mixed emotions on accepting the KBE, ‘because of the enduring sadness of the families who continue to feel the loss of their loved ones’. The inquiry, he said, had been ‘very much the climax’ of his 15 years as Bishop of Liverpool. A Hillsborough protester, Professor Phil Scraton, who led the panel’s research team, revealed last week that he had turned down an OBE in protest at those who ‘remained unresponsive’ to the campaign for truth and justice.