New Year Honours - Big Ups 2011

This year, among many BME individuals selected for Queen's Honours was entrepreneur and networking supremo Sonia Brown, who was rightfully awarded with an MBE for her service to black and minority ethnic women.

But the list of those to be honoured for service to their community continued at the pen of 'media massive' Dotun Adebayo.

In his Voice Newspaper column this week Dotun awarded gongs to those he believes has served their community and deserves to be put on a pedestal.

Dotun writes;

''Having been a beneficiary of the Queen's Birthday Honours List it would seem churlish of me to criticize her New Year's Honours List. On the contrary, they do their best to represent by giving the black population of Britain our fair 5% share of the honours. Personally, I think we could do better.

For one thing, the Honours List committees have got a lot of catching up to do for all those who were never the objects of their focus from back in the day. And still, currently, there are a lot of people who just don't fall on the radar of officialdom when it comes to bigging them up. So I have been persuaded to launch a black-interest New Year's Honours List. This annual award is called The Big UPs.

Every year myself and a committee of the great and the good will select a number of people to award the distinction of a Big UP.

There are several categories of Big UP.

A * Star Big UP or an MBU (Medal of the Big UP) is the entry level. A **Star Big UP or an OBU (Order of the Big UP);
A *** Star Big UP or a CBU (Commander of the Big UP);
A **** Star Big UP or a KBU (Knight of the Big UP - recipients may use the title 'Chief' and may be addressed by that title). And for outstanding excellence of black-interest;
The ***** Star category or LBU (Large Big Up - recipients may use the title 'the Honorary' which may be abbreviated to 'Hon.' and may be addressed by the title 'The Honorary').

You and all members of the public are invited to submit your own list of candidates for a 'Big UP'.'

THE FOLLOWING ARE AWARDED AN LBU:

Diane Abbott MP (Shadow Health Minister) for her ground-breaking political achievements.

Simon Woolley (Operation Black Vote) for his work fighting for racial justice and Equality.

Ashok Viswanathan (Operation Black Vote) for his work fighting for racial justice and Equality

THE FOLLOWING ARE AWARDED A KBU:
Bro. Leader Mbandaka (Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement) for services to Pan-Africanism.

Matilda MacAttram (Director - Black Mental Health UK) for her tireless work and campaigning in bringing the issues of black mental health to the fore of political discussion.

Craig Bellamy (footballer) - for his commitment and financial contribution to setting up football academies in West Africa for underprivileged children.

Angie Le Mar (entertainer) For services to the stage and television.

The following are awarded a CBU:

Nubian Jak Bubeula Dodd (entrepreneur) for his African-Centred business products and tireless campaign for black historical figures to be remembered with Blue Plaques.

Nardia Foster,  teacher, psychologist, National Chairman for Voice the union for educational professionals. For services to education.

Lee Jasper (political agitator) for his contribution to politics.

Donna Fraser (athlete) for her contributions to athletics including representing Great Britain in an unprecedented FIVE Olympics.

Kwame-Kwei Armah (actor, playwright and artistic director for FESTAC 2010) for contributions to the arts and politics.

Hugh Muir (political columnist, The Guardian) for services to journalism.

Dennis Bovell (singer, songwriter, producer) for services to music.

The following are awarded an OBU:

Chris Boothman -  (barrister) for services to carnival arts.

Dawn Butler (ex MP, political columnist) For breaking the glass ceiling in politics by becoming the first black woman to speak from the dispatch box.

Sheldon Thomas (community activist) for positive actions on behalf of young people.

Dele Ogun (author and barrister) - for legal services.

David Michael (Detective Chief Inspector - retired) for services to policing.

The following are awarded an MBU:

Sylbourne Sydial - (Executive Chair of Facilitators For A Better Jamaica) For expatriate services.

Dwayne Fields (Polar explorer) - for services to exploration.

Winsome-Grace Cornish