Honours

We were watching the news this morning when they were reading out the honours. DH said to me 'It doesn't take much these days to get an honour does it?' I agree.

Joan Collins received hers for services to charity, but for heavens sake, how hard can it be to lend your famed name to a charity of your choice and then attend a few dinners? Compare this to the thousands of people beavering away for nothing at kids clubs, soup kitchens or whatever, and we have to conclude that the entire system, as it exists, is an anachronism. Just to make it even more insulting, the tabloid press publish patronising articles about lollipop ladies getting their CBE. The final straw as far as I am concerned is when that woman, Fiona what's-her-name, who was removed from the child abuse enquiry due to her friendship with Leon Britten; she has got recognition for her sterling work done as Lord Mayor of London, yet another plum position! Congratulations to those who received their honours for work in their community, or for achievements in areas that benefit society as a whole, but I for one, will not be doffing my cap to senior civil servants who get their award for doing what they are paid for.

I agree these awards should go to people who make a difference in their local community.

Why senior civil servants get them just for doing their job for a number of years I have never understood. I also feel the same about entertainers being honoured merely because they have lasted a long time.

I think the whole process has become devalued because of the awards given to those who haven't really earned them.

Absolutely JOAN COLLINS??? famous for what? services to the make up industry??

No, you're not being unreasonable, it's a disgusting system.
Esther Rantzen I can understand, sort of, but Joan Collins? Never!

My grandfather was a Joe Bloggs who was awarded the BEM. We had an empire in those days!

I never did find out exactly what he got it for but he was in the Merchant Navy during the war so it was probably something to do with that. It was presented by some local dignitary but a framed letter from the Queen hung over the mantlepiece.

When he died, there was a bit of family squabbling over who should inherit it but it went to my cousin which was exactly right as it was his mother who moved in to care for both grandparents until they died.

I don't see why actors should get them just for doing their job and getting well paid for it. What has Joan Collins ever done to deserve an award?

I can understand Esther Rantzen because of her work with Childline but there must be plenty of other people who are less famous who have worked just as hard.

My dad got an MBE and I was horrified at the ceremony to see how many knighthoods went to men who had put in their years in the upper echelons of the civil service so were collecting their perks.

The truly important people were much further down the pecking order. People who had given their time for years to charities and youth groups. People who had done things to make their communities better/safer places. In other words people who had done something over and above what was expected of them.

What disgusted me the most though was the last recipient. He was a serving soldier who was being awarded a medal for bravery. Although they couldn't tell us much we were told that he was responsible for saving the lives of several of his colleagues at great risk to himself. This was the man who should have collected his award first not last.

Love what the OBE is called in this house!

I think it should be the Joe Bloggs of this world who get the awards; definitely not politicians (which seems to happen when they retire as a matter of course) or "celebs" (unless they have done something exceptional outside of their main role).

I have just written a recommendation for someone I know to get an award and he really does deserve to have his work recognised.

Ariadne well done to your DH and all the other Joe Bloggs who have deservedly won awards for going "above and beyond" but I don't agree with actors etc. receiving awards.

Probably not being unreasonable - I would have felt the same until a few years ago when, out of the blue, DH was given an award, for "services to young people". He is the most modest of men, and as I watched his lovely reaction to the letter, all my republican tendencies flew out of the window. (Temporarily!)

I'm just telling you this, which was an personal and emotional response to seeing his work (above and beyond the actual job) having recognition. I could easily quantify awards given to some, but that is another story.

No you are not BU annsixty. I find it ridiculous that people are given these awards simply for doing their job. They get paid for that. It also seems to be expected that doing something for a long time results in an award and what has "British Empire" got to do with it - we haven't got one!

The only awards I would like to see are for bravery.

No.