Actors pick up knighthood and Cbe while Pm revives British Empire Medal as reward for 'big society' volunteers
David Cameron's "big society" gong, the anachronistically named British Empire Medal, makes its first appearance for 20 years in the Queen's birthday honours today, rewarding "hands-on" service to local communities.
As actors Kenneth Branagh and Kate Winslet collect a knighthood and Cbe respectively, 293 BEMs, known as the "working-class gong" and scrapped by John Major in 1991 in his efforts to make the honours system "classless", are also awarded.
Revived by Cameron to encourage the "big society" and reward volunteering, Bem recipients include waitress Patricia Carter, for services to the hospitality industry, apiarist Geoffrey Hopkinson, for services to beekeeping, and many others involved with local community work, charities, and sports.
Sir Bob Kerslake, head of the civil service who chairs the main honours committee, said the re-introduction of the Bem for the Diamond Jubilee extended...
David Cameron's "big society" gong, the anachronistically named British Empire Medal, makes its first appearance for 20 years in the Queen's birthday honours today, rewarding "hands-on" service to local communities.
As actors Kenneth Branagh and Kate Winslet collect a knighthood and Cbe respectively, 293 BEMs, known as the "working-class gong" and scrapped by John Major in 1991 in his efforts to make the honours system "classless", are also awarded.
Revived by Cameron to encourage the "big society" and reward volunteering, Bem recipients include waitress Patricia Carter, for services to the hospitality industry, apiarist Geoffrey Hopkinson, for services to beekeeping, and many others involved with local community work, charities, and sports.
Sir Bob Kerslake, head of the civil service who chairs the main honours committee, said the re-introduction of the Bem for the Diamond Jubilee extended...
- 6/15/2012
- by Caroline Davies
- The Guardian - Film News
Soap characters should be just as susceptible to catching the flu as everyone else, a leading public health advisor has suggested. Professor John Ashton claimed that Heather Trott from EastEnders, portrayed by actress Cheryl Fergison, would offer an excellent opportunity to show the potentially fatal dangers of contracting the seasonal virus. Speaking to Pa, the chairman of the UK Public Health Association said that Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks also had an opportunity to highlight the issue, which is often overlooked as a health concern. He explained: "Soap operas can play a vital role in educating the people on public health messages, whether it's breaking down preconceptions around HIV/AIDS, eating disorders or mental illness. "They provide a perfect platform to both normalise health problems and inform people of (more)...
- 12/16/2010
- by By Naomi Rainey
- Digital Spy
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