A 92-year-old woman, believed to be the oldest victim of the Post Office scandal, expressed that receiving an OBE was a tribute to all postmasters whose lives were shattered. Betty Brown, hailing from Consett, County Durham, was acknowledged in the New Year Honours List for her relentless advocacy for justice. Over 900 sub-postmasters faced wrongful prosecutions due to errors in the Horizon IT system, falsely implicating them in money theft from branch accounts.
The inquiry into the scandal revealed that 59 victims considered suicide, with 10 attempting it, and Chairman Sir Wyn Williams noted that 13 individuals may have taken their lives due to the distress they endured. Ms. Brown, an original victim, participated in the legal action against the Post Office led by Sir Alan Bates. She and her late husband managed the Annfield Plain Post Office, estimating a loss of around £100,000 to cover non-existent shortfalls.
This past Christmas marked the first time in 26 years that Ms. Brown felt at ease without worries after eventually receiving compensation through a government scheme. Reflecting on being awarded an OBE, she humbly stated, “I’m honored… I’m just an ordinary, hard-working person… it’s just not something that you ever think about and I think of all the sub-postmasters, all the 900, the 13 that committed suicide.”
D-Day veteran Mervyn Kersh expressed gratitude for receiving a British Empire Medal (BEM) for his efforts in Holocaust remembrance school talks and wartime service. Ellen Roome, aged 49, was granted an MBE for her advocacy on online safety following the tragic loss of her son Jools. Ryan Riley, 32, received a BEM for establishing Life Kitchen, a charity cookery school aiding individuals who have lost their sense of taste and smell. Serena Wiebe, 21, received a BEM for her anti-knife crime work and youth advocacy.
Sandra Igwe, 36, from Sidcup, south-east London, was appointed an MBE for her initiatives with the Motherhood Group to enhance maternal healthcare for black women. These remarkable individuals expressed gratitude for the recognition, emphasizing the importance of their work and the impact it has had on their communities.