Birthday Honours List 2008
The Queen's Birthday Honours list 2008 is published, paying tribute to outstanding achievement and service across the entire community.
Many of those honoured have been involved in charitable or voluntary work, or undertaken extra-curricular activities linked to their professions. This is in keeping with the Prime Minister's intention that the significant majority of honours should go to local heroes who give up their time in service to their community. In addition, the proportion of previously under-represented groups, including women and people from minority ethnic communities, has increased since the last list, in keeping with an overall improving trend.
In total, 959 people have been recommended to the Prime Minister for an award by the Specialist Honours Committees:
- 87% are at OBE and MBE level;
- Of these people at MBE and OBE level, some 76% were involved in charitable or voluntary work, or undertaking extra – curricular activities linked to or in addition to their professions;
- There are 393 successful women candidates in this list, including 10 Dames, 15 CBEs and 2 CBs. This represents 41% of the total, a record high;
- The number of successful candidates from minority communities is 8.2%, up from 6% in the last list;
- 7.3% of the candidates indicated that they were disabled under the Disability Discrimination Act.
Birthday Honours List 2008
