New Year Honours

Blossoming

I wish they’d do away with the BEM and OBE, or at least rename them. Why not Order of Merit or similar?

There is already an Order of Merit award isn’t there?

Something to do with the Commonwealth?

When I was a teacher I never gave stickers or gold stars or stuff like that. I always believed sincere praise did the job better.

You wouldn’t believe the number of complaints from parents that their children didn’t get stars!

There’s obviously something in the shiny tangible evidence that I don’t get………

paddyann the concept of 'superiors' is so outdated. I'm surprised to hear such a forelock tugging comment from you!
I don't consider anyone superior to me nor do I believe that I'm superior to anyone.
I'm happy for our chairwoman to have a more public acclamation for her sterling and unpaid work.

I attended a medal giving ceremony (investiture?) where my DF was patronised to the extreme by some bloke we'd never heard of in a fancy uniform who told him what a good chap he was. The uniformed bloke definitely thought he was my DF's superior.

DF was chuffed to be awarded the honour, I was mortified but kept smiling for his sake.

Many years ago I went to an investiture at Buck House. Most of the awards were simply for doing their jobs. Top civil servants had worked their way up to their knighthoods etc. They get their gongs in order of importance so the knights come first moving to the 'less' important. There were no normal people until the least important awards. They were the charity workers, the people who put others before themselves etc. The ones who go above and beyond for others.

I found it offensive that those who had done the most were the lowest. The worst was that the lad who came in last should have, imo, come in first. He was a soldier (a private) receiving a medal for bravery. He was treated as the lowest of the low when he'd obviously done something amazing.

The whole system is a joke. It's a throwback to a time when the king rewarded his mates. They think they've made it fairer because they have the lower orders for the plebs but, lets be honest, it's still awards for the mates of those in power with the lower orders tacked on for effect. The same goes for the House of Lords but that's me getting on my soapbox.

I was glad to see Tom Scholar, the Treasury Permanent Secretary disgracefully sacked by Truss and Kwarteng (two hopeless incompetents imo) was given a knighthood.

I understand (and if it's not true, it should be IMO) that senior civil servants are in line for honours in the Order of St Michael and St George:

CMG = Call Me God
KCMG = Kindly Call Me God
GCMG = God Calls Me God

Who can compete with that?

Wheniwasyourage

I understand (and if it's not true, it should be IMO) that senior civil servants are in line for honours in the Order of St Michael and St George:

CMG = Call Me God
KCMG = Kindly Call Me God
GCMG = God Calls Me God

Who can compete with that?

Any idea how much it costs to produce these beautiful medals?

Aveline

The chairwoman of a very small local charity I support has been awarded a BEM. We're all so pleased for her and for us in a way. It's a recognition and validation for all that this little charity does day in and day out. It's a massive psychological boost.

Those are the sort of honours I would keep. Rewarding 'ordinary' people who go above and beyond.

We the plebs probably pay for them with our taxes

And let's not forget that honours were also dished out to the likes of Jimmy Saville, Rolf Harris, Cyril Smith, Stuart Hall etc.

Aveline

paddyann the concept of 'superiors' is so outdated. I'm surprised to hear such a forelock tugging comment from you!
I don't consider anyone superior to me nor do I believe that I'm superior to anyone.
I'm happy for our chairwoman to have a more public acclamation for her sterling and unpaid work.

So you don't have a passion for dressing like puss in boots and wearing lots of medals?

it is out dated but so is lots of old boys school stuff which I am at risk of going on about if I don;t leave the thread...

I didn’t realise until today that it’s virtually a business some people pay ££40,000 for a firm (can’t remember the name) to make them out a good claim a bit like a puffed out CV
.
What a total mockery it all is
There was a programme on radio interviewing the woman who was spokeswoman for this particular firm
So basically you can buy your title

I thought honours were awarded by the civil service, not the monarch.

My father in law had an MBE, a fairly lowly honour. My MIL disapproved of the whole thing so much she refused to go to the ceremony with him. I thought that was a bit mean.

Well, I'm pleased that Brian May is now Sir. For services to music and charity.
Most of the awards go to people quietly doing good in their own community.

Here's another totally worthy choice. What a busy and altruistic man!

www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/149812/obe-for-deputy-lieutenant-asrar-ulhaq-in-king’s-new-year’s-honours-list

I have rather more affection for people who were offered an honour but turned it down. It isn't really a very honourable system when you look at the some of the people who have got one.

And as paddyann said, the word "empire" isn't honourable either.

I reckon the badgers all voted for Brian May

JaneJudge

I reckon the badgers all voted for Brian May

🤣🤣🤣

Allegedly David Beckham is none too pleased having been missed yet again.

and after all that queuing with the hoi polloi