Bristol children’s charity boss appointed OBE

The chief executive of a Bristol based children’s charity has been appointed OBE in the New Year Honours list.

Barbara Gelb, from Together for Short Lives, the palliative care charity, has been appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of her services to children and families.

She started her career as a social worker with Scope, the UK disability charity and worked in children’s social care in Bristol for several years before taking up a senior management role at Bath and North East Somerset Council.

She became chief executive of Children’s Hospices UK in 2001 and joined Together for Short Lives in 2012.

“I am deeply honoured and thrilled to receive this award,” she said. “I am privileged to work with a highly committed and talented team of staff and trustees at Together for Short Lives and the award would simply not have happened without them.  

“The award also marks the extraordinary courage of the children, young people and families themselves, and importantly recognises the tremendous work all those involved in children’s palliative care, right across the UK.”

Also appointed OBE are Peter Madden and Patricia Jones. Mr Madden is appointed for services to environmental protection and sustainable development while Mrs Jones, founder of Bristol Dyslexia Centre, is appointed for services to education.

In other awards:

• Professor Julian Le Grand, from the London School of Economics, who lives in Bristol, is appointed Knights Bachelor for services to social science and public service

• Geoffrey Shore (services to business and the voluntary sector), Melvin Lee (services to armed forces), James Bowyer (services to defence) and Teresa Chinn (services to nursing) are appointed MBE

• Det Insp Rebecca Cawsey, from Avon and Somerset Constabulary, receives the Queen’s Police Medal

• Patricia Gates (services to policing), Maureen Patch (public service) and Eileen Stonebridge (services to conservation) all receive the British Empire Medal.

The creators of the World War One ceramic poppy display at the Tower of London have joined acting grandees Joan Collins and John Hurt on the honours list.

Ceramic artist Paul Cummins and theatre designer Tom Piper are both made MBEs in recognition of the Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red installation which attracted five million visitors.

The acting profession is strongly represented on the list, with Collins and Kristin Scott Thomas becoming dames and Hurt knighted.

Elsewhere, a British Empire Medal (BEM) is recommended for 103-­year-­old runner Fauja Singh. He is a keen charity supporter and champion for Age UK, and is widely recognised as the oldest marathon runner in the world.

See the full list of new year honours recipients here…