UK New Year Honours list 2026 celebrates social entrepreneurs and impact leaders

The achievements of UK social entrepreneurs and members of the impact community were celebrated in the New Year Honours List 2026, announced by the government at the end of December.

The UK New Year Honours List is an annual recognition of people who have made significant achievements or dedicated themselves to serving the country. Awards including Knighthoods, Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) are given by the monarch, based on recommendations from the public and government.

Georgina Wilson (pictured top), founder & CEO of BUD Leaders, a Black and female-led social enterprise that provides training and consultancy for female business owners of colour, was awarded an OBE. 

While I’m truly honoured to be recognised, there is still a huge amount of work to do

“This recognition reflects over a decade of work rooted in community, shaped alongside allies, ambassadors, and partners, and driven by a deep belief that social enterprise can be a powerful force for economic justice; especially when Black and Global Majority women-led enterprises are properly backed, championed, and given real access to opportunity,” said Wilson in a LinkedIn post. 

“While I’m truly honoured to be recognised, there is still a huge amount of work to do. Equity is not yet where it needs to be for people who look like me, and I’m committed to doing my part to help bridge that gap,” she added.

Wilson was previously included in the WISE100 Women in Social Enterprise 2025 top 100. She said her work in 2026 would focus on supporting Black and Global Majority-led leaders to grow revenue, build resilience and access networks, contracts and capital both through BUD Leaders and its wider ecosystem of partners.

In May 2025 BUD Leaders announced it would become a social investor through support from impact investor Sumerian Foundation, with the aim of identifying, supporting and funding minority-led enterprises. The move was part of Beyond Barriers, a £1.5m pilot initiative launched in response to the flaws in the UK’s social investment market identified by the Adebowale Commission in 2022, which pointed out that funding wasn’t reaching black and minority social entrepreneurs.

Someone is sitting up and taking notice of the social enterprise sector in Scotland

Gael Drummond, CEO of Firstport, Scotland’s development agency for start-up social enterprise, and finalist for the WISE100 Social Business Woman of the Year 2025 award, was awarded an MBE.
 

“I’m still processing the news and, if I’m honest, sitting with a bit of unease for a few reasons. In particular, an MBE feels like a lot for simply doing my job, and I find it hard to point to anything I’ve done personally to merit such recognition,” said Drummond in a LinkedIn post.

“So, for me, this really belongs to the collective efforts of those I’m privileged to work alongside — the Firstport team, the social entrepreneurs we support, board members across the Firstport Group, and our partners and my friends in the sector. But also someone is sitting up and taking notice of the social enterprise sector in Scotland and of that I’m VERY proud,” she added. 

This honour is not just for me. It’s for every Black mother who trusted me with her truth

Sandra Igwe, CEO of the Motherhood Group, a social enterprise supporting Black mothers and pregnant women, was awarded an MBE. 

Reflecting on the award in a LinkedIn post, Igwe said: “What people usually see are the results. The conferences. The headlines. The panels. The ‘impact’. What they don’t see is what it’s taken to get here. Over nine years of repeating the same truths when people weren’t ready to hear them.

“Nine years of sharing my own story. Nine years of campaigning across policy, research, commissions, and closed rooms where decisions are made. All while listening to thousands of Black mothers share deeply traumatic experiences of pregnancy, birth, and motherhood.”

Igwe added: “This honour is not just for me. It’s for every Black mother who trusted me with her truth. This is only a snapshot of the work. But today, I’m allowing myself to pause and say, 'it mattered.'”

Other impact community awardees include:

• Martin Davies, chair of Cosmic, a social enterprise which specialises in digital skills training, digital consultancy, IT technical support and website development, CBE for services to employment provision for people with disabilities
• Orlando Fraser, former chair of the Charity Commission for England and Wales, CBE for charitable and public service
• Alan Cooper, founder and director of Waste to Wonder Worldwide, a social enterprise which clears offices and redistributes surplus furniture and IT equipment to schools and charities, OBE for services to charity and to sustainability
• Emma Revie, co-CEO of anti-poverty and food bank charity Trussell, OBE for services to the eradication of poverty
• Giles Shilson, former chair of social enterprise and charity funder the City Bridge Foundation, OBE for services to outreach, inclusion and to charity
• Richard Beard, former CEO of Jericho, a charity and group of seven social enterprises that provides supported work opportunities for people facing extreme challenges in securing employment, MBE for services to social enterprise and to the community in Birmingham
• Valerie Lolomari, founder of Women of Grace, a community interest company which supports survivors of gender-based violence, MBE for services to the prevention of violence against women and girls
• John MacMillan, CEO of the Eric Liddell Community, a community hub in Edinburgh, MBE for services to community development, sport and social enterprise
• Lynn Pallister, social enterprise manager of Future Regeneration of Grangetown (FROG), a social enterprise supporting the regeneration of Grangetown, MBE for services to social enterprise
• Andrew Simpson, CEO of Doncaster Refurnish, a social enterprise that diverts reusable furniture from landfill by collecting, restoring, and selling it at affordable prices, MBE for services to social enterprise
• John Spiers, CEO of the EQ Foundation and chair of EQ Investors, a B Corp, employee-owned firm specialising in sustainable and impact investing, MBE for services to business and charity
• Sam Everard, founder and CEO of SAMEE, a social venture which supports people into work, MBE for services for people with disabilities
• Ed Mayo, former CEO of Pilotlight, a charity that connects charities with senior business leaders and experts to provide strategic support and former secretary general of Co-operatives UK, MBE for charitable service
• Tom Clarke-Forrest, CEO of employment charity Sport 4 Life UK, MBE for services to young people
• Susan Arnold, co-founder of Sirhowy Hill Woodlands CIC, a nature reserve in Wales, MBE for services to the community in Tredegar

Top image: Georgina Wilson, founder & CEO of BUD Leaders (courtesy of BUD Leaders)