Birthday Honours 2026
Julia Downey BEM
British Empire Medal (BEM)
Founder
“For services to Children and Education in Moldova.”
Timeline
British Empire Medal (BEM)
For services to Children and Education in Moldova.
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London Gazette notice
British Empire Medal
Civil Division Overseas and International List
Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood
St. James’s Palace, London SW1
13 June 2026
THE KING has been graciously pleased, on the occasion of the Celebration of His Majesty’s Birthday, to approve the award of the British Empire Medal (Civil Division) to the undermentioned:
B.E.M.
Julia Clare DOWNEY
Founder, the Flying Pig Project, Willink School, Berkshire
For services to Children and Education in Moldova.
Source: The London Gazette, issue 65091 · Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0
In context
Each honour in context
Role, region and citation as recorded for each award.
British Empire Medal
Birthday Honours 2026- Role at the time
- Founder
“For services to Children and Education in Moldova.”
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Birthday Honours 2026
Julia Downey
British Empire Medal (BEM)
“For services to Children and Education in Moldova.”
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Birthday Honours 2026
Julia Downey
British Empire Medal (BEM)
“For services to Children and Education in Moldova.”
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Birthday Honours 2026
Julia Downey
British Empire Medal (BEM)
“For services to Children and Education in Moldova.”
Print · from £5.99
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In context
The bigger picture
How common is this award?
The British Empire Medal was awarded 328 times in the Birthday Honours List 2026 — about 23% of the list.
What organisation were they with?
Founder.
How widely is this recognised?
3,337 people have been recognised for Children, Young People & Families.
Counts reflect the 2000–2026 honours lists in our records; earlier years are not yet included.
Honoured alongside them
Others awarded the British Empire Medal in the Birthday Honours 2026
Adam Joolia
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Brighton, East Sussex
“For services to Young People and to Music.”
Adrian Isaac
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Boston, Lincolnshire
“For services to the Environment.”
Adrian Richards
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Ferryhill, County Durham
“For services to the community in Chester-le-Street, County Durham.”
Alan Grigg
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
“For voluntary services to the community in Solihull.”
Alan Halcrow
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
“For services to the Drainage Industry.”
Alan Hiatt
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Cwmbran, Gwent
“For services to Ty Siriol and Hafan Deg Wards, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board.”
Alan Parker
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire
“For voluntary services to Rugby League Football and to the community in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire.”
Alan Thurlow
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
London, Greater London
“For services to Swimming.”
Alexander Kelly
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Maybole, Ayrshire and Arran
“For services to the Voluntary Sector in South Ayrshire and Scotland.”
Alexander Rigby
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Liverpool, Merseyside
“For services to Charity.”
Alice Hamilton
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Grangemouth, Stirling
“For services to the community in Grangemouth, Stirling and Falkirk.”
Alice Outten
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Llandudno, Clwyd
“For services to Young People.”
Alice Sutherland
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Alness, Ross and Cromarty
“For services to Vulnerable Young People in Alness, Ross and Cromarty.”
Alice Wintergold
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Haywards Heath, West Sussex
“For services to People with Disabilities.”
Alison Brittle
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Oldham, Greater Manchester
“For services to the community in Saddleworth.”
Alison Hickman
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
“For services to the community in Sierra Leone.”
Alison Turner
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
London, Greater London
“For services to the Learning Disabled and Neurodiverse Community.”
Allison White
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Aycliffe, County Durham
“For services to Supporting People with Cancer.”
Alpa Raja
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
London, Greater London
“For services to Veterans’ Welfare.”
Amanda Caldwell
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Brighouse, West Yorkshire
“For services to the community in Rastrick.”
Andrew Burden
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Grimsby, Lincolnshire
“For services to Defence, to Veterans and to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and Maritime Safety.”
Andrew Sheldon
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
South Benfleet, Essex
“For Political and Public Service.”
Angela Manson
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Lisburn, County Antrim
“For services to Youth Musical Theatre.”
Anita Pugh
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Swansea, West Glamorgan
“For services to Armed Forces Veterans and to the community in St Thomas, Swansea.”
In the same field
Others recognised for Children, Young People & Families
Across the 2000–2026 honours lists in our records, 3,337 people have been recognised for Children, Young People & Families. See the full list →
Nigel Brown
PersonOfficer Of The Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Caerphilly, Gwent
“For services to the Welfare of Children and Families.”
Dr Carol Homden
PersonDame Commander Of The Order Of The British Empire · 2026
London, Greater London
“For services to Children and Families.”
Clive Leslie Gritten
PersonMember Of The Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Norwich, Norfolk
“For services to Children, Young People and the community in Norfolk.”
Neil Martin
PersonCommander Of The Order Of The British Empire · 2026
London, Greater London
“For services to Young People, to Interfaith Relations and to Holocaust Remembrance.”
Stephen Greene
PersonMember Of The Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
“For services to Foster Care.”
Catherine Grove
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
“For services to Education and Young People in The Gambia.”
Barbara Connell
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
“For services to Education and Young People in The Gambia.”
David Wright
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Liverpool, Merseyside
“For services to Children and Young People.”
Roger Walton
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Wirral, Merseyside
“For services to Children and Young People.”
Patricia Wells
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
London, Greater London
“For services to Early Years in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.”
John Turner
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Wigan, Greater Manchester
“For voluntary services to Young People and to Charitable Fundraising.”
Louise Sutherland
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Leatherhead, Surrey
“For services to Early Years.”
Josef Taylor
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Warrington, Cheshire
“For services to Children and Young People.”
Alice Sutherland
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Alness, Ross and Cromarty
“For services to Vulnerable Young People in Alness, Ross and Cromarty.”
Michael Springett
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Maldon, Essex
“For services to Young People in the East of England.”
Pundrique Sharma
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Southport, Merseyside
“For services to Children and Young People.”
Claire Robinson
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester
“For services to Foster Care in Birmingham.”
Alice Outten
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Llandudno, Clwyd
“For services to Young People.”
Douglas Ormston
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Galashiels, Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale
“For services to Youth Work in Scotland.”
Katie Misselbrook
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Chester, Cheshire
“For services to Children and Young People.”
Steven Lowe
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Wigan, Greater Manchester
“For services to Foster Care in Wigan, Greater Manchester.”
Wendy Lowe
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Wigan, Greater Manchester
“For services to Foster Care in Wigan, Greater Manchester.”
Faye Marsh
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Spennymoor, County Durham
“For services to Children and Young People in County Durham.”
Margaret Lawson
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Sheffield, South Yorkshire
“For services to Young People in South Yorkshire.”
Source & provenance
Where this record comes from
British Empire Medal · 2026
Cabinet Office / gov.uk published honours list (Birthday Honours List 2026). No individual Gazette notice has been matched to this record yet.
Published 12 June 2026.
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