Author: Pulse Assent

AbleChild Africa, Humanity and Inclusion, British and Irish Agencies Afghanistan Group, Orbis Charitable Trust and Deafkidz concentrate a lot of their work on people with disabilities who can be marginalised by society.

They work with people of all ages in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Afghanistan where people with disabilities are often the most vulnerable in society.

Many of these charities work in health and education to ensure people with disabilities are getting the support they need including; eye care services in hard to reach areas, support to deaf communities and where possible helping people with disabilities find suitable employment.

These grants come in the second round of funding from UK Aid Direct, announced by the Department for International Development. In total, 30 small and medium sized civil society organisations, who work on a wide range of issues throughout the developing world will benefit. As well as projects focussed on disability inclusion, funding will also be provided to projects working on food security and nutrition as well preventing violence against women and children.

UK Aid Direct has already reached more than 3 million people, through 147 grants, across 31 countries.

Announcing the latest round of funding, Secretary of State for International Development, Penny Mordaunt said:

An estimated 800 million people with disabilities live in developing countries. Many of these people continue to face appalling levels of stigma, discrimination and abuse, and all too often miss out on the opportunities that are the right of every person.

Small and medium sized charities offer a wealth of experience, expertise and skills essential to our mission to find innovative new solutions to complex development problems.

Many of these charities represent the best of British expertise and I am extremely proud that through UK Aid Direct, we are strengthening our great partnerships with them to improve the lives of those living in extreme poverty.

The UK government will co-host its first-ever Global Disability Summit in London in July alongside the International Disability Alliance and the Government of Kenya. The summit will bring together leaders from the private sector, governments, donor agencies and charities to raise awareness of this under-prioritised issue and show our commitment to transform the lives of people with disabilities. It will secure ambitious commitments to make a tangible difference to the lives of millions of people around the world.

Lauren Watters, Head of Programmes at AbleChild Africa said:

The UK government is leading the way for disability inclusive development and we are tremendously excited that it has identified the need to empower Youth with Disabilities in Rwanda through UK Aid Direct. Our project will facilitate meaningful youth involvement tackling the multiple barriers this group face and supporting their full inclusion into society.

Steve Crump, Founder of Deafkidz:

It is extremely gratifying that the UK government has acknowledged our important mission to help deaf children around the world live safely and without fear through the UK Aid Direct scheme. Our work is vital, not only to provide vulnerable children with the ear and hearing care they need, but also to change the dangerous stigmas they face each day.

Notes to Editors

There are 30 Aid Match Direct grants being announced with a total funding of £28,968,130

Further information and the full list of recipients of the latest UK Aid Direct grants are available here: www.ukaiddirect.org/news/

UK Aid Direct is a five-year; £150 million programme currently changing the lives of over 3 million of the world’s poorest people with UK aid from the UK Government.

Funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), UK Aid Direct was established in 2014 as a successor to the Global Poverty Action Fund (GPAF), which was created in 2010.

UK Aid Direct is a challenge fund designed to support the UK’s commitments to achieving the Global Goals.

Funding rounds will continue until 2020.

The UK Government will co-host its first ever disability summit later this year that will focus on four central themes:

• tackling stigma and discrimination
• inclusion in education
• routes to economic empowerment
• harnessing technology and innovation

On 9th June 2018, Sr Imelda Poole, IBVM was made Member of the Order of the British Empire in The Queen’s Birthday Honours 2018, for her achievements and services to end modern slavery.

On the announcement of the award, the British Ambassador to the Holy See, Sally Axworthy, said:

I am delighted to learn that Sr. Imelda Poole has been awarded this honour by Her Majesty The Queen.

It is well-deserved recognition of Sr. Imelda’s outstanding service in combatting human trafficking and modern slavery, through the European religious sisters’ anti-trafficking network RENATE which she leads, and through and Talitha Kum, the religious sisters’ worldwide anti-trafficking network.

Sister Imelda is a key ally in Her Majesty’s Government’s campaign to eradicate modern slavery. It is wonderful to see such a distinguished friend of this Embassy honoured in this way.

Note for editors:

· Read more about Sr. Imelda Poole in the case study written by HM Ambassador Sally Axworthy to mark 2017 International Women’s Day.

Follow @SallyAxworthy @UKinHolySee

The Queen’s Birthday Honours List recognises the achievements of a wide range of extraordinary people across the United Kingdom.

Marking the achievements of the recipients from Wales, Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

It is with great delight that I congratulate those who have been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

These honours acknowledge the incredible achievements of outstanding individuals who work tirelessly to improve the lives of others and inspire those around them.

I am proud to see people from all walks of Welsh life being recognised for their achievements and I am grateful for their commitment and dedication to their communities. Congratulations to you all.

Notable names from Wales in the honours list include Chief Constable of North Wales Police Mark Polin and Welsh sports stars Jessica Fishlock and Menna Fitzpatrick.

Congratulating Mark Polin, who received an OBE for services to policing, Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns said:

During his long and distinguished policing career, Mark Polin has provided excellent leadership and exemplified his very deep commitment to community policing at every turn.

He has been a credit to North Wales Police and is held in the highest regard not just by his colleagues, but across the range of partners that the Force works with and the communities that it serves. My sincerest congratulations to him on this very worthy honour.

Congratulating Welsh international football star, Jessica Fishlock on her MBE for services to women’s football and the LGBT community, Alun Cairns said:

From becoming the first Welsh player of any gender to make 100 appearances for their country, to league titles and player of the year awards for her clubs in Melbourne and Seattle, the accolades have been coming thick and fast for Jessica over recent years. That roll of honour is bolstered again today as she is named among the Queen’s Birthday Honours recipients.

She is a great sportswoman, an enduring role model and an inspiration to all. My warmest congratulations to Jessica – a worthy recipient of this honour.

Congratulating Welsh Winter Paralympics GB multi-medallist, Menna Fitzpatrick, Alun Cairns said:

There were few performances at this year’s winter Paralympic Games that captured the imaginations more than those exemplified on the slopes of Pyeongchang by Menna Fitzpatrick. Together with her guide Jennifer Kehoe, Menna displayed the sheer grit and determination needed to bring home a haul of four medals – including a gold – and secured the title of Britain’s most successful Winter Paralympian.

Today, and at just 20 years old, she takes her rightful place on the honours list as the youngest recipient. My congratulations to Menna on this worthy accolade and I wish her every success for the future.

Following on from the publication of the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2018 list today (June 8 2018), Scottish Secretary David Mundell passes on his congratulations to Scottish honourees:

I am pleased to see the Queen’s Birthday honours recognise the achievements of a diverse and inspiring number of our fellow Scots. From sporting icons to key players in business and academia, these individuals have been influential in shaping our nation.

As Scotland’s most capped footballer and joint leading goal scorer, Kenny Dalglish was rightly crowned ‘king’ by his fans around the world. His glittering achievements in football and dedicated service to communities, including through his unwavering support for the families of the Hillsborough victims and the millions of pounds raised by his family’s cancer charity, mean that ‘King Kenny’ now deservedly becomes a Knight.

I also welcome the Knighthood for Jim Ratcliffe, chair and chief executive of Ineos Chemical Group, who has built a business empire which contributes so much to the Scottish economy. And I’m pleased to see awards to celebrate the success of individuals in the Winter Olympics and Paralympics including an OBE for Mike Hay, Chef de Mission, Team GB.

I offer my sincere congratulations to these recipients on their worthy honours. What they have accomplished is an inspiration.

Each recipient exemplifies the very best of our nation – from our oldest recipient, 103 year old Rosemary Powell receiving an MBE for her charitable service, having spent over 97 years volunteering for the Royal British Legion – to the youngest at 20 years old, Menna Fitzpatrick. Menna, Team GB’s most decorated Winter Paralympian, receives an MBE for her services to Paralympic Winter Sport alongside her guide, Jennifer Kehoe.

Awards include:

• a damehood for actress Emma Thompson, for services to drama
• a knighthood for Nobel Prize-winning novelist Kazuo Ishiguro, for services to literature
• a damehood for Professor Mary Beard, Professor of Classics, University of Cambridge, for services to the study of classical civilisations
• a knighthood for historian and broadcaster Professor Simon Schama
• a knighthood for former footballer and manager Kenny Dalglish
• a CBE for actor Tom Hardy
• a CBE for television presenter and author Bamber Gascoigne
• a CBE for journalist and Kate Adie
• an OBE for boxer Anthony Joshua
• an OBE for Winter Olympian gold medalist Lizzie Yarnold

This honours list continues to demonstrate the breadth of service given by people from all backgrounds.

In total 1,057 people have received an award:

• 920 candidates have been selected at BEM, MBE and OBE level: 318 at BEM, 392 at MBE and 210 at OBE
• 71% of the recipients are people who have undertaken outstanding work in their communities either in a voluntary or paid capacity
• 519 women are recognised in the List, representing 49% of the total
• 10% of the successful candidates come from a BAME background
• 5.7% of the successful candidates consider themselves to have a disability (under the Equality Act 2010)

The Prime Minister provided a strategic steer to the Main Honours Committee that the honours system should support children and young people to achieve their potential, enhance life opportunities, remove barriers to success and work to tackle discrimination.

Women

In the 100th anniversary year of women’s suffrage, there are a range of awards for women at the forefront of their professions or who have championed women’s rights. At the highest level (CBE and above), 41% of awards are for women – an increase from 39% at NY18.

Amongst these there is:

• a Companion of Honour (CH) for soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
• a damehood for Dr Frances Carolyn Saunders, a distinguished engineer who has been instrumental in improving diversity within STEM and attracting young people from all backgrounds into engineering
• a CBE goes to Margaret Casely-Hayford, a lawyer and businesswoman, for her services to charity in the UK and abroad, and her work to create diversity on boards
• a CBE for award-winning writer Jeanette Winterson for services to literature
• a CBE for Kanya King, the founder of the MOBO awards (in its 21st year)
• an OBE for Vanessa Vallely, Managing Director of wearethecity.com, for services to women and the economy

Local Communities

In total, 71% of awards in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List will go to people who have undertaken outstanding work in or for their local community.

Awards include:

• a knighthood for Ber Helfgott, who has used his public profile as a Holocaust survivor to encourage community cohesion and combat intolerance
• a CBE for Dr John Kirkby for his services to debt counselling as the founder of Christians Against Poverty
• an OBE for Amandeep Madra for services to Punjabi and Sikh heritage and culture
• an MBE for Michael Nield, for services to mountain rescue in Lancashire
• an MBE for Dr Susan Martin, for services to mental health welfare in Liverpool
• an MBE for Akeela Ahmed for her work with Muslim women as founder of the She Speaks, We Hear charity
• an MBE for Halford Hewitt for his work as CEO of the Ipswich Housing Action Group, for his tireless work with the homeless in Ipswich

Education

Around 11% of honours are for work in education. The Honours Education Committee has recommended a knighthood for Professor Leslie Ebdon, the former director of Fair Access to Higher Education.

Other senior awards in education include CBEs for:

• Professor Rosemary Davis, Professor Emeritus, Institute of Education, UCL
• Professor Carole Hillenbrand, Emerita Professor in Islamic History, University of Edinburgh
• Pat Smart, Chief Executive Officer, Create Partnership Trust
• Professor Billie Hunter, Professor of Midwifery, Cardiff University

There is also an MBE for Carol Russell, chair of Hope Autism.

Health

Marking the NHS’s 70th year, a wide range of contributors to the NHS have been recognised, with health sector recipients making up 12% of all honours. There is a rich breadth of vocations, innovative practice and outstanding patient care recognised throughout the NHS.

In total, 64 awards have been made to NHS recipients, including:

• a damehood for Chief Scientific Officer Professor Susan Hill
• an OBE for Veronica Donovan, Consultant Midwife at the Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
• an MBE for Stephen Hudson at the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, who for 30 years has supported vulnerable people in Devon both through his work and through voluntary organisations
• a BEM for Debra Smith, a specialist in palliative cancer care in Wythenshawe, Manchester
• a BEM for surgeon Nadine Hachach-Haram, whose entrepreneurship through her company Proximie has helped to pioneer virtual access to surgical expertise for people living in remote areas, including plastic surgery for children in Peru

Elsewhere in the health sector, the Health Committee recommended:

• a knighthood for Professor Christopher Ham, lately Chief Executive of the Kings Fund
• a knighthood for Professor David Haslam, chair of NICE
• a damehood for Professor Jane Dacre, President of the Royal College of Physicians

Also in the list is:

• a CBE for Professor Robert Steele, Senior Research Professor at the University of Dundee for his work on the prevention, early detection and treatment of colorectal cancer
• an OBE for Anne Moore, Senior Vice President, Royal College of Surgeons
• an MBE goes to Dr Susannah Clarke, founder of Embody Orthopaedic, who has pioneered the use of 3D print technology to revolutionise minimally-invasive joint replacement procedures

Industry and the Economy

Industry and the economy make up 13% of this honours list. The Economy Committee recommended:

• a damehood for Moya Greene, Chief Executive, Royal Mail
• a knighthood for James Ratcliffe, Chair and Chief Executive of Ineos Chemical Group

A number of entrepreneurs and individuals supporting greater diversity are also recognised, including:

• a CBE for Jo Malone, for services to the British economy and the GREAT campaign
• a CBE for Thomas Ilube, for services to technology and philanthropy
• a CBE for Brenda Trenowden, Global Chair, 30% Club

Science and Technology

Science and Technology recipients make up 3% of the list. There is:

• a knighthood for Professor Christopher Dobson, Professor of Chemical and Structural Biology and Master, St John’s College, University of Cambridge
• a CBE for Principal Soil Scientist, Professor Lorna Dawson
• a CBE for David Eyton, Group Head of Technology, BP plc

Sport

Awards for Sport make up 5% of the total recipients. There are awards to celebrate the success of individuals in the Winter Olympics and Paralympics including an OBE for Mike Hay, Chef de Mission, Team GB.

Alongside these there are OBEs for:

• Roisin Wood, Chief Executive of Kick It Out
• Director of Child Protection in Sport, Anne Tiivas

There is an also an OBE for footballer Jermain Defoe recognising his charitable work through the Jermain Defoe Foundation, and an OBE for Jeffrey Savory, for his support to disability sport.

Awards to grassroots sport include BEMs for:

• Wyndham Davidson, a swimming coach in Shropshire and the West Midlands
• Charlotte MacDonald, for her services to the Special Olympics and Riding for the Disabled

The Arts, Music and Dance

In the Arts, there is:

• a knighthood for Dr Charles Saumarez Smith, Chief Executive of the Royal Academy, marking its 250th year
• a CBE for Dinah Casson for her services to design
• an OBE for curator, Gus Casely-Hayford

In music there is:

• a knighthood for baritone Simon Keenlyside
• a CBE for composer, pianist and conductor Thomas Ades
• an OBE for prominent jazz musician, Julian Joseph

There is also an MBE for musician Niomi McLean-Daley, aka Miss Dynamite.

There are CBEs for:

• Director of the Royal Ballet, Kevin O’Hare
• Director of Music at the Southbank Centre, Professor Gillian Moore

There are MBEs for:

• actor Gary Wilmot
• underwater photographer, Alexander Mustard

Law and Order

In Law and Order, the awards include:

• a knighthood for Mark Rowley, lately Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service
• a CBE for Alexander Marshall, lately Chief Executive of the College of Policing
• Dionne Collins, Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police
• Robert Ayling, Chair of HM Courts and Tribunals Service

Parliamentary

The Parliamentary and Political Service Committee has recommended damehoods for:

• Eleanor Laing, MP for Epping Forest
• Louise Ellman, MP for Liverpool Riverside

There are also knighthoods for:

• David Natzler, Clerk of the House of Commons
• Bernard Jenkin, MP for Harwich and North Essex

International Trade Secretary announces billions worth of overseas trade wins.

• significant deal secured by UK company to deliver natural gas project in Cameroon
• further deals in Panama, Turkey, India and Qatar a £75 million boost for British businesses
• the deals come across the life sciences, transport, infrastructure and cyber security sectors

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, today (Friday, 8 June) hailed millions of pounds worth of trade wins with some of the fastest growing economies as a sign of growing global links post-Brexit.

Capitalising on recent foreign visits by Cameroon’s Minister Secretary General, the Presidents of Panama and Turkey and the Prime Minister of India, the Department of International Trade (DIT) is helping UK businesses access exporting opportunities and increase prosperity across the country.

Following Trade Minister, Baroness Fairhead’s, meeting with Minister Secretary General Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, London based oil and gas company, New Age, and the Cameroon Government have agreed a deal which will see the development of a floating natural gas project in Cameroon utilising the offshore Etinde gas field.

The project is of huge importance to the African country, who will be able to ramp up their gas export operation, in turn generating a huge revenue stream for the public treasury, whilst also helping to develop offshore infrastructure in support of future local power generation.

Following the visit of the President of Panama, Juan Carlos Varela, Dorking based Biwater expanded a deal which sees them improving Panama’s water and wastewater infrastructure alongside the Panama Government.

The company’s work sees them delivering lasting environmental and social benefits to communities in Latin America’s fastest growing economy. The UK government provided support for the company and the project through UK Export Finance’s financial support offer.

UK life sciences company, GE Healthcare, also secured a deal earlier this week after the visit of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with Turkish construction firm KAYI holding. The agreement will see £74 million worth of medical equipment exported to hospitals being built across emerging markets of Turkey, Kenya, Tanzania and the Balkans.

DIT has also secured the first ever memorandum of understanding with the Qatar Central Bank which will see UK Cyber Security firms help secure Qatar’s online financial sector. The deal is hugely significant to the UK cyber security sector which already exports £1.6 billion worth of world-leading technology around the globe.

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox MP, said:

International visits by foreign ministers aren’t just good for the government but for UK exporters across the country too, so that local companies can expand their global reach.

There are strong reasons for the UK to be optimistic about our presence on the world stage and this series of deals, worth more than £1.9 billion, showcases Britain’s world leading capability in key sectors such as cyber security and life sciences as we leave the European Union.

That is why as an international economic department we provide a wide range of support for business such as our award-winning export credit agency, UK Export Finance, great.gov.uk and our international trade advisers.

A new direct flight route from Manchester to Mumbai has also been secured by Jet Airways last week. Beginning in the autumn, the new route will be a significant boost to exporters in the Northern Powerhouse as the new will see flights going between the 2 cities 4 times a week, improving connectivity in the process. The announcement comes following the visit of Baroness Fairhead to Mumbai and Bangalore earlier this year.

UK exports of goods and services as a whole increased by 12.1% to £622 billion last year, and with the UK gearing up to leave the European Union, the department will shortly deliver a new Export Strategy to set out the government’s ambition to get businesses of all sizes exporting their products.

Background:

Top 5 ways DIT supports businesses to export:

1. great.gov.uk – export platform which lists thousands of export opportunities worth millions of pounds. It also puts firms in touch with global buyers at the click of a mouse.
2. UK Export Finance – the UK’s export credit agency provides financial support like capital loans, to ensure no viable export deal fails due to lack of finance and insurance. UKEF has recently partnered with five of the UK’s biggest banks, to help small businesses easily access government-backed financial support.
3. Face-to-face support for exporters in England – delivered via a network of around 250 international trade advisers (ITAs). ITAs are managed by 9 delivery partners who operate in each of the 9 English regions.
4. Trade shows – DIT supports trade shows across the world to showcase the best of UK companies from sectors including life sciences, automotive and food and drink.
5. Board of Trade – with representatives from the business community to be the ‘eyes and ears’ of modern businesses. It meets 4 times a year rotated around the UK guaranteeing all parts of the Union have a chance to raise the issues most important to them.

DIT recently launched its Cyber Security Export Strategy, setting out how the government will help the 800 British cyber security firms export their world leading services around the globe.

Further information

• contact the DIT Media and Digital Team on 020 7008 3333
• follow us: @tradegovuk or gov.uk/dit