Queens Birthday Honours 2021

Press release 
DATE / EMBARGOED      22.30 on Friday 11th June 2021
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British Red Cross CEO receives CBE, as three from Red Cross recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours

Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2021: Strictly embargoed for 22.30 on Friday 11th June

British Red Cross Chief Executive Michael Adamson has today been made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for services to the humanitarian sector and the Red Cross Movement.

Adamson, who lives in Gloucestershire, has been chief executive of the British Red Cross since 2014 and is also chair of the Voluntary Community Sector Emergencies Partnership (VCSEP), a collective of over 230 local and national organisations supporting those most in need in an emergency.

Two more British Red Cross representatives have been also recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2021.

Matthew Killick, UK Director of Crisis Response and Community Resilience from Purley, Croydon has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services during Covid-19.

A BEM has also been given to British Red Cross Patron and Emergency Response Volunteer Rosie Jackson from Tolvaddon, Cornwall for her services for the charity and her community.

Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for: 

Michael Adamson, CBE, Chief Executive of the British Red Cross and chair of the Voluntary Community Sector Emergencies Partnership (VCSEP). Mike lives in Gloucestershire 

Mike joined the British Red Cross in 2010 as Managing Director of Operations and was appointed Chief Executive (CEO) in 2014. With a career spanning over 40 significant years, Mike’s dedication to the cause of humanity has won him great respect in the UK and internationally from his peers. 

Mike’s leadership, particularly in the wake of the Grenfell Fire and the terrorist attacks of 2017, has also seen him become a key advocate of the Voluntary Community Sector Emergencies Partnership (VCSEP). He became VCSEP chair in 2019 to help local and national expertise work together more effectively to support people in crisis. Under his leadership, the partnership has worked with great success with central and local government since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic to support vulnerable people who are lonely, unable to access food and medicines, or are at risk because they are homeless or in the asylum system.  The VCSEP partnership draws works on a national vulnerability index which was developed by the British Red Cross as part of Mike’s determination to identify where the greatest needs lie.

Mike Adamson, chief executive of the British Red Cross, CBE, says: 
“I would like to use this as an opportunity to thank British Red Cross staff and volunteers who have worked so tirelessly since the start of the pandemic.
 
"Due to their incredible efforts, we have reached over 2.5 million people with help including food, medicines, cash, transport home from hospital and other NHS support. It’s been a year like no other and it truly has been a team effort - our volunteers and staff are the best I’ve ever worked with.
 
“I’ve been part of the Red Cross for many years and had so many proud moments as CEO from seeing the individual kindness of our volunteers to our response to the 2017 terror attacks and the Grenfell Tower Fire to seeing our international movement in action in some of the most difficult places in the world.
 
“Seeing the value of our support to the people deeply affected by these crises is so moving. At our best, all our teams – services, fundraising, communications, advocacy, people, finance, technology – work as one team. Every year we strive to use our learning to get better and improve our response to subsequent crisis – and now the pandemic. We are needed more than ever before” 

British Empire Medals (BEM) for:

Matthew Killick, UK Director, Crisis Response and Community Resilience, BEM. Matthew lives in Purley, Croydon.

Matthew has led the British Red Cross through its Covid-19 response, showing great perseverance and commitment. Under Matthew’s leadership, British Red Cross volunteers were deployed across the country to help people and communities in need, supported countless other organisations and worked closely with DCMS and the Voluntary and Community Sector Emergencies Partnership (VCSEP) to engage volunteers around the country and coordinate a national response.

Matthew Killick, BEM, says:

“I’ve worked within charities for nearly 25 years and as someone who gets real satisfaction from helping others, well I feel so humbled to have my work recognised in this way especially in the year it’s been, and when so many have done so much.  I have been genuinely privileged to work with so many dedicated colleagues within the Red Cross and from all agencies.

“Early last year we could see the numbers rising as Covid-19 took its grip across the globe and the UK. The outpouring of support from people was phenomenal. Thousands of volunteers and staff came forward to help. They’ve worked tirelessly at the coalface, meeting local needs, keeping people safe, transporting people to and from hospital, making sure the most vulnerable people have the essentials they need at home such as food and medicine, and being there at the end of the phone for anyone who needed to call our support line. 

“The support we’ve received from our corporate partners has been invaluable too. Partnerships such as the one we have with Tesco meant our volunteers could jump queues and collect the essentials for our most vulnerable service users, meaning we could help even more people. 

“To think that we have reached over 2.5 million people through our direct and online support is amazing. Thank you every one of our volunteers and staff for everything you have done.”

Beatrice Rosemary Jackson (Rosie), BEM, Patron and Emergency Response Volunteer for the British Red Cross. Rosie lives in Tolvaddon, Cornwall. 

British Red Cross Patron and Emergency Response Volunteer Rosie has been championing the British Red Cross in her local Cornwall and Scilly Isles area since 2012. She has always been an inspirational ambassador and passionate supporter of the charity, its fundamental principles and its aims. 

Rosie has helped to raise over £100,000 for the British Red Cross by regularly hosting events that not only raised funds for the charity but also raised great awareness about helping people in crisis. Examples of her work include a hugely successful Europe Refugee Crisis Appeal supper that raised £12,000 and an Art Ball which raised over £40,000. She has previously represented the British Red Cross at special events including a special 70th birthday event for HRH Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace. 

In the same year she received the highest accolade the British Red Cross could bestow upon her - the Dunant Award for her inspiring work and positive impact on hundreds of lives as part of the Psychosocial Support Team (PST).

Rosie Jackson, BEM, says:

“It was a big shock to receive the email from the Cabinet Office, it was a such wonderful surprise. It’s so lovely to have my work recognised this way and I’d like to thank my amazing team of volunteers at the British Red Cross. 

“I love what I do with the Red Cross. I’m passionate about our role as part of the global Red Cross Red Crescent movement and its fundamental principles. We’re helping in areas where there is crisis and conflict and we’re supporting vulnerable people in so many different ways.

“I’m most proud of my amazing team of volunteers in Tolvadoon. This award really is for them, for all their hard work and everything they do to help our community. Being able to work in the community is such a privilege, helping people and seeing the difference we make. Helping others to be the best they can be. Supporting people who have been hit hardest by Covid-19. It really is a wonderful organisation to be involved in.”

David Bernstein, CBE, Chair of the British Red Cross Board of Trustees, says:

“We would like to offer you our sincerest congratulations to Mike, Matthew and Rosie on behalf of the British Red Cross for their recently awarded CBE and BEMs. We are delighted and proud that their work has been recognised on a national level. 

“We are so proud of the service that they have given to the British Red Cross, especially during the organisation’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak. This has been an exceptionally difficult 15 months and we were both impressed by the perseverance and commitment all three of them have shown during these challenging times. 

“Thank you Mike, Matthew and Rosie for the tremendous hard work and dedication that you have provided over the years. These honours are extremely well deserved and we send our warmest congratulations.”
For further information and interviews:
press@redcross.org.uk
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ENDS

Note to editors  

• For over 150 years, the British Red Cross has helped people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. We are part of a global voluntary network, responding to conflicts, natural disasters and individual emergencies. We enable vulnerable people in the UK and abroad to prepare for and withstand emergencies in their own communities. And when the crisis is over, we help them recover and move on with their lives. redcross.org.uk