Equality, Diversity & Inclusion — New Year Honours List 2026 2026
62 recipients recognised for this theme in this round
Sub-themes
Narrower themes within Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in the New Year Honours List 2026 2026.
Medal / BEM
Jonathan Tear
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Ashtead, Surrey
“Head of Public Body Reviews, Department for Transport. For services to Diversity and Inclusion, and to Charity”
Mary Marian Nicholas
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Belfast, County Borough of Belfast
“For services to People with Learning Disabilities in Northern Ireland”
Sonia Lynette Hazel
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Bedford, Bedfordshire
“Assurance and Controls Manager, HS2, Network Rail. For services to Diversity and Inclusion in the Rail Sector”
Carter Goodby
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Pocklington, East Riding of Yorkshire
“People Business Partner, London North Eastern Railway. For services to Diversity and Inclusion”
Helen Jane Gill
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Worcester, Worcestershire
“For services to People with Learning Disabilities in Worcestershire”
David Everatt
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Wetherby, West Yorkshire
“For services to People Living with Disabilities in Leeds”
Martin John Coppack
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Brighton, East Sussex
“Lately Director, FairByDesign. For services to Social Equality and Inclusion”
Sally Bridge
PersonBritish Empire Medal · 2026
Belfast, County Borough of Belfast
“Student Support Administrator, Queen's University Belfast. For services to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion”
Member (MBE)
Marie Wright
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Sandhurst, Berkshire
“Co-Founder, Rushmoor Gymnastics Academy. For services to Women's Gymnastics”
Colin Wright
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Sandhurst, Berkshire
“Co-Founder, Rushmoor Gymnastics Academy. For services to Women's Gymnastics”
Sajid Ebrahim Varda
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
London, Greater London
“Founder and Chief Executive Officer, UK Muslim Film and Muslim International Film Festival. For services to Diversity and Inclusion in the Film and Television Industry”
Rachel Askew-Sammut
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
London, Greater London
“Head of Corporate Governance and Strategy, Department for Business and Trade. For services to Economic Participation and Equality of Opportunity”
David Reid
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Insch, Aberdeenshire
“Volunteer, REMAP. For services to People with Disabilities”
Jacqueline Margaret Neal
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Bakewell, Derbyshire
“Managing Director, Abbey Forged Products. For services to Women in the Steel Industry”
Sandra McCOURT
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Forfar, Perth and Kinross
“Volunteer. For services to Young Survivors of Sexual Abuse and to the Young LGBTQ+ Community”
Lucy McCARRAHER
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Norwich, Norfolk
“Founder, Business Book Awards. For services to Publishing and to Diversity”
Andrew Lynn Mathias
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Swansea, West Glamorgan
“Head of Communications for Economy and Infrastructure, Welsh Government. For services to LGBTQ+ community in Wales”
Avtar Singh Matharu
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
York, North Yorkshire
“Professor of Chemistry, University of York. For services to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and to Interfaith and Community Cohesion”
Sarah Helen Massey
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Street, Somerset
“Managing Director, Women's Rugby World Cup 2025. For services to Women's Rugby Union”
Valerie Lolomari
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Essex
“Founder, Women of Grace UK. For services to the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls”
Rebecca Anne Lindsay
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Stornaway, Western Isles
“Co-Founder and Director, MacAulay College, Isle of Lewis. For services to Education, to Social Inclusion, and to People with Additional Support Needs in the Western Isles”
Jonathan Piers Daniel Linney
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Bacup, Lancashire
“Executive Chair, Implement AI Limited. For services to Small Business, to Entrepreneurs, to Investors, to Banking and to Diversity and Social Mobility”
Funmi Aishah Lawal
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
London, Greater London
“Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Clip-Knix. For services to Disability, Entrepreneurship and to Volunteering”
Alexandra Knight
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Morpeth, Northumberland
“Founder and Chief Executive Officer, STEMAZING. For services to Diversity and Inclusion in Engineering”
Rebecca Keer
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
London, Greater London
“Community Engagement and Partnership Manager, Rahab. For services to the Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls”
Jacqueline Gittins
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
London, Greater London
“For services to Gender Equality in the Workplace”
Philip Peter Gerrard
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
“Chief Executive Officer Deaf Action. For services to the Deaf Community, to Cultural Inclusion and to Disability Rights”
Michael Charles French
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire
“Head of Games, Film London and Festival Director, London Games Festival. For services to the Games Industry, to Inclusion and to Charity”
Samantha Everard
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Bournemouth, Dorset
“Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Support and Mentoring Enabling Entrepreneurship and Chair, South West Regional Stakeholder Network. For services to People with Disabilities”
Roland Christian Douglas Schau Engebretsen
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Stornaway, Western Isles
“Co-Founder and Director, MacAulay College, Isle of Lewis. For services to Education, to Social Inclusion and to People with Additional Support Needs in the Western Isles”
Christopher Deering
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Gillingham, Kent
“For services to People with Disabilities in the London Borough of Bexley”
Kerry Davis
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Lichfield, Staffordshire
“For services to Association Football and to Diversity in Sport”
Matthew Ian Daniels
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Smethwick, West Midlands
“For services to the LGBTQ+ Community in Birmingham and the West Midlands”
Carolyn Currie
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh
“Chief Executive Officer, Women's Enterprise Scotland. For services to Women's Entrepreneurship, Economic Empowerment, and to Gender Equality”
Divine Charura
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Birstall, West Yorkshire
“Professor of Counselling Psychology, York St John University. For services to Inclusion and to the Advancement of Counselling and Psychotherapy in Research and Practice”
Mary Patricia Bochenski
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Mold, Clwyd
“For services to People with Disabilities”
Karen Blake
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Tunbridge Wells, Kent
“Lately Chief Executive Officer, Tech Talent Charter. For services to Technology and to Diversity”
Kathryn Bennet
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire
“Chair, Gareloch Riding for the Disabled Association. For services to the Disabled Community in West and Central Scotland”
Maureen Berry
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Liverpool, Merseyside
“Business Analyst, HM Revenue and Customs. For services to Inclusion”
Francesca Elisabeth Allen
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Wallingford, Oxfordshire
“For services to Disability Sport and to Improving Access to Sport for Young People”
Safaraz Ali
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Birmingham, West Midlands
“Chief Executive Officer, Pathway Group. For services to Diversity and Inclusion in Business”
Tea Colaianni
PersonMember Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Bournemouth, Dorset
“Founder and Chair, WiHTL and Diversity in Retail. For services to Inclusion in the Hospitality, Travel, Leisure and Retail Sectors”
Officer (OBE)
Gillian Whitehead
PersonOfficer Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire
“Chair, Women's Rugby World Cup 2025. For services to Women's Rugby”
Victoria Wells
PersonOfficer Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Bromsgrove, Worcestershire
“Lately Director of Sport, Youth Sport Trust, Loughborough, Leicestershire. For services to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities”
Ethan Robert Spibey
PersonOfficer Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Bury, Lancashire
“For services to Blood Donation Equality and Inclusion”
Giles Shilson
PersonOfficer Order Of The British Empire · 2026
London, Greater London
“Lately Chair, City Bridge Foundation. For services to Outreach and Inclusion and to Charity”
Alexander Rhys
PersonOfficer Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Chesham, Buckinghamshire
“Founder, It Gets Better UK. For services to Healthcare and to the LGBTQ+ Community”
Advolly Xotshiwe Taylor Richmond
PersonOfficer Order Of The British Empire · 2026
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
“Plant, Garden, Social Historian and Champion, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. For services to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Horticulture”