Scarborough and Bridlington King's New Year Honour recipients react to their awards

Scarborough’s Cheryl Ward, Group CEO of Family Fund – a charity for disabled children and their families - was awarded a CBE in the New Year Honours for Services to Social Care.

The distinguished honour celebrates Cheryl’s charity work and dedication to improving the lives of families raising disabled or seriously ill children, and supporting other organisations to serve their beneficiaries through Family Fund’s trading subsidiary Family Fund Business Services. She said: “I’m deeply honoured to receive this recognition.

"Leading Family Fund and working alongside such a dedicated team of colleagues and trustees, both past and present, is a true privilege.

"This award is a testament to the unwavering commitment of everyone at Family Fund, who work tirelessly to support families facing incredibly challenging circumstances and strive to make a meaningful difference to their lives every day.”

Roy O’Shaughnessy, Chair of the Family Fund Board of Trustees, extend his heartfelt congratulations to Cheryl on “this well-deserved honour”.

"Cheryl’s passion and unwavering commitment have driven Family Fund’s growth, allowing us to reach more families in need.

"Her recognition reflects the profound impact Family Fund has on easing the hardship faced by tens of thousands of families raising disabled or seriously ill children each year,” he added.

Since joining Family Fund in 2008, Cheryl has played a pivotal role in expanding the charity’s reach, growth and impact.

Under her leadership, it has grown to become the UK’s largest grant-making charity, providing essential financial support, information and services to families on low incomes caring for disabled or seriously ill children and young people.

Lee Castleton, a former sub-postmaster from Bridlington, was awarded an OBE, for services to justice.

He featured in the ITV drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office which told the story of one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British legal history, in which Lee was a prominent campaigner.

He has received compensation from the Post Office, but he is still seeking additional funds to fully cover his losses.

Hundreds of innocent sub-postmasters and postmistresses were wrongly accused of theft, fraud, and false accounting due to a defective IT system.

Speaking on the TV show Good Morning Britain, Mr Castleton, of Scarborough, said of his OBE: “I’m really proud, very proud, it’s fantastic.

"As a whole group of sub-postmasters, we were all working really hard but it’s very special to be honoured in such a way, I can only say thank you.

"But I would rather the whole group [of sub-postmasters] were treated fairly, honestly and compensated properly than receive the honour even though I’m absolutely so grateful for it.

"It’s been a wonderful year, I’ve never been so listened to, everyone has been so kind, gracious and thoughtful.

"It’s a fantastic way to cap the year but we will never give in.”

He said the process of getting people’s money back was a difficult one to navigate but he was hoping the new Post Office minister would help to make that easier.