The oldest surviving victim of the Horizon scandal has been appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year Honours list.
Elizabeth Brown, 92, was awarded the OBE for Services to Justice for her work in campaigning for victims of the Horizon Post Office Scandal. She ran the Annfield Plain Post Office in Stanley, Co. Durham, along with her late husband Oswall, between 1985 and 2003. She estimated that they lost around £100,000 due to the system’s errors. She has since received a settlement from the government’s compensation scheme.
Commenting on the OBE to the Press Association, Elizabeth said she will wear it in honour of all subpostmasters affected by the Horizon scandal.
“I’m very, very honoured but it’s for the subpostmasters… what this really stands for is important.”
A government spokesperson said: “We must never lose sight of the Horizon scandal’s human impact on postmasters and their families, which the Horizon inquiry has highlighted so well.
“Betty Brown has been a fierce advocate for postmasters and this Government has now paid out over £1.3bn to more than 10,000 victims.
“We can confirm that Betty’s claim has reached the end of the scheme process and been settled.”
Other recipients in the New Year Honours list included subpostmaster and convenience store owner Pritesh Pattni who was awarded a British Empire Medal for his services to the community of Aston, Birmingham, and his outstanding charity work.
Pritesh is also chairperson of Bidgley Power Foundation a local charity based in Birmingham which is supported by 36 volunteers, and Pritesh himself volunteers between 20 to 25 hours per week. They do lots of work for young and disadvantaged people. They also help people who are excluded from society to participate in volunteering and build a more positive future as a result.
Commenting on the recognition, Pritesh said: “When we had been in Uganda I had been part of a wealthy family as my grandparents had a jewellery business. My parents didn’t need to work, and we had domestic help. It was a big change when we came to Britain living in a refugee camp, then living in a cramped room, and my parents had to get a job and work. I went to school in Birmingham and worked hard. I wanted to give back to the community. I did not have an easy start in life, but I bounced back. There are people in this area who are underprivileged, and I wanted to help them. Many people who have benefitted by the work of the charity go on to help others by volunteering in some ways, which builds their confidence and skills.”
Northamptonshire-based subpostmaster Jennifer Fell also received a British Empire Medal for services to her local community, which includes running a Post Office from her home in Hellidon.
Elsewhere, Sainsbury’s chief executive Simon Roberts was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to the retail industry.
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