The 3 people from Bolton who have been recognised in the King's Birthday Honours list
A housing campaigner, a retired youth worker and an entrepreneurial NHS doctor from Bolton have been recognised in this year's King's Birthday Honours list.
Jo Darbyshire from Lostock will pick up an OBE for Services to Housing and Leaseholders alongside Katie Kendrick and Cath Williams, her two co-founders of the National Leasehold Campaign (NLC).
The not-for-profit group aims to ban all new leasehold properties, where homeowners must pay ground rent to whoever owns the land their house sits on, a system it describes as 'feudal'.
(Image: UGC)
These costs can run to tens of thousands of pounds and affect one-in-five households across England and Wales.
'This honour is not just ours; it belongs to everyone who has contributed to this critical movement for change,' said a statement from the trio.
'Our commitment to this campaign has meant many hours away from our families and we recognise the sacrifices they have made too.
READ MORE: Homeowner Jo Darbyshire's delight after Government's ban on leasehold homes being built
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'We are three Northern mums that have taken on the ugly face of corporate greed and ensured that others will not have to go through the nightmare that we have.
"Our journey has not been without challenges.
'We faced opposition, scepticism, and at times, moments of doubt, but we persevered together.
'Our OBEs are recognition of our own personal contributions and the difference we have made to many leaseholders.
'We will keep pushing forward for leasehold reform and ultimately leasehold abolition, with commonhold becoming the default tenure here, as it is in the rest of the world.'
Speaking to The Bolton News, Jo said: 'I've known since early May when they ask if you want to accept the nomination, so I've been keeping it a secret for so long I'd almost forgotten about it.
'I've not even told the kids, that'll happen tonight.
'I told my mum and dad, though.
'Mum cried and my dad said, 'I blame the parents'.'
Jo, who has appeared at the Law Commission was full of praise for her NLC co-founders.
'I've done this with my two best friends, and while it's nice to be recognised, it's nicer to know I've made a real difference to people.'
(Image: UCG)
Rob Carter, the former Deputy Chief Executive of youth work charity OnSide, receives an MBE for Services to Young People.
Now working as a consultant after retiring from his previous role, he joined the North West arm of the charity in 2008 where he led the design, procurement and delivery of its national network of Youth Zones.
One of its flagship centres is the Bolton Lads and Girls Club, which opened more than a century ago and is among the largest youth centres in the UK.
"I am very grateful to have been nominated for this honour and proud to accept it on behalf of my wonderful colleagues at OnSide and all the many people from the growing network of OnSide Youth Zones across the country working so hard to provide better facilities and opportunities for young people,' Rob said.
"Young people deserve better than we have been giving them, but I think this award reflects a growing recognition of the value and importance of youth clubs and youth work.
'It was Bolton Lads and Girls Club that inspired the work of OnSide and the work of the Club remains as important now as it has ever been.'
(Image: UGC)Dr Prash Ladva, from Deane, will receive a British Empire Medal (BEM) for Services to British Citizen Doctors Trained Overseas.
As well as being an NHS doctor, Dr Ladva is CEO of LinkMedics, a business that helps British overseas-trained healthcare professionals find work in the UK.
It's a route he knows well as he went through medical school in Bulgaria after being rejected for doctor training in Britain when his A-Level grades fell short.
Now associate non-executive director at the Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, he also won the Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2023 Bolton Business Awards.
Dr Ladva said: " It's an incredible honour to be recognised in the King's Birthday Honours List, and I'm truly humbled to receive the BEM. This honour reflects the amazing support I've had from colleagues, family and mentors, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to contribute meaningful change to the NHS. It's now all about how we widen that impact and make a longlasting tangible difference to society."
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The Weekend: Shrinking economy casts a pall over Reeves' ambitious spending plan
It's been a week of big international headlines, mostly bad. A London-bound aeroplane came down barely a minute after take-off in Ahmedabad, India, killing all but one of the 242 passengers on board. The tragedy is a major setback for Boeing (BA), maker of the 787 Dreamliner involved, whose shares had been on a tare this year as its new boss tried to turn things around after a string of safety-related incidents. The plane maker's stock price took an immediate hit, falling almost 5%. On Friday the world woke up to news that Israel had launched a co-ordinated assault on Iranian nuclear sites and military facilities, killing two of the country's most senior commanders in the process. The attacks – the first of many to come according to Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu – sparked immediate threats of retaliation from Iran. 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But the optimistic tone of the announcements was undermined somewhat the very next day when official figures revealed the UK economy had shrunk by 3% in April, far more than the contraction expected by analysts. Reeves admitted it was a blow, as the government banks on spurring economic growth to fund its bold spending plans. Let's take a closer look at these and other stories from an eventful few days. Boeing stock slumps after deadly Air India plane crash It was reportedly the first deadly crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since its launch 14 years ago. Boeing's shares had gained more than 20% this year on the heels of a massive company turnaround following a brutal 2024 sparked by a "door plug" incident on an Alaska Airlines (ALK) flight. Five years prior to that the plane maker had suffered a serious crisis when two fatal crashes exposed critical flaws in the 737 Max 8 jet's software, leading to a 20-month global grounding of the aircraft. UK economy shrinks by 0.3% in April The shock reading for April came a day after chancellor Rachel Reeves unveiled a raft of pledges in the government spending review. The biggest contributor to the fall in GDP was a 0.4% drop in services output, while production output slumped 0.6%. The contraction came as an increase in employer national insurance contributions and the national minimum wage, which were announced in the autumn budget, came into place in early April. Professor Joe Nellis, economic adviser to accountancy and advisory firm MHA, said: "This is not an ideal scenario for the chancellor. The sustainability of her spending promises is critically dependent on changing this — kickstarting the economy to grow GDP and collect more revenue through tax receipts. "Without this, the chancellor may be forced into unwanted – and unpopular – tax increases in the autumn budget to keep public finances on track." Oil prices surge as Israel strikes Iran in escalation of Mideast standoff Iran has threatened to hit US assets in the region as part of its retaliation, even as secretary of state Marco Rubio warned against such a move. Rubio claims Israel took "unilateral action" and the US was not involved in Friday morning's strikes. Iran is the third-largest oil producer within the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), trailing only Saudi Arabia and Iraq, with output exceeding 3 million barrels per day. 'We can probably expect a temporary slowdown in oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz,' Ed Hirs, senior fellow at the University of Houston, said in an interview with Yahoo Finance. Tehran has repeatedly threatened to block the strait, a vital chokepoint through which as many as 20 million barrels of oil pass each day. Gold hits nearly two-month high as Israel attack spurs safe-haven demand Gold prices surged to their highest level in nearly two months as the massive escalation of Middle East conflict spurred demand for traditional safe-haven assets. "Gold surged past resistance around $3,400 on news of the airstrikes, and further upside could be in-store should the escalation continue," said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade. The rally has been further underpinned by growing expectations of monetary policy easing in the US. Recent data showing elevated jobless claims and muted producer price inflation have increased speculation that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates, making non-yielding assets such as gold more attractive to investors. The UK's rental boom is over Rental price growth has slowed significantly, according to the latest figures from Zoopla, with the average rents for new lets agreed 2.8% higher in April than the same time a year ago. That's less than half of the average rental growth in April 2024, which stood at 6.4%, and the lowest growth in nearly four years. The slowdown is a result of weaker rental demand and growing affordability pressures, rather than an increase in supply, Zoopla said. The chancellor is determined that Wednesday's spending review won't come with a tax sting in the tail. Unfortunately, that pledge is resting on some very fine margins. If the government achieve the growth it wants and a potential funding gap emerges, taxes are likely to be in the frame. Columnist Sarah Coles, a personal finance analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, examined the possibilities: Why Rachel Reeves' spending review may lead to tax rises Recent industry studies put the cost of a "moderate" retirement at £31,700 per year and a "comfortable" retirement at an eye-popping £43,900 per year. But before you throw your hands up in despair, take time to think about what you want or need from your post-career years – is it lots of travelling or something more sedate? You may find that what you need differs massively from these figures: How far will your pension go as retirement costs soar? Find more personal finance gems here UK inflation and interest rates will be the main focus in terms of economic data. Markets will be watching Wednesday's UK inflation reading for any signs of a cool off after April's jump to 3.5%, later revised to 3.4% due to an error in car tax data. The higher-than-expected figure was driven mainly by large increases in household bills. With that in mind, the Bank of England is expected to keep interest rates on hold at 4.25% on Thursday as it tries to keep price increases in check. The US Federal Reserve is due to announce its next interest rate decision next week too. The Fed is expected to keep rates on hold once again at its meeting on Wednesday, maintaining the 4.25%-4.50% range. On the company earnings front, investors will be keeping an eye on the latest results from US-listed consultancy firm Accenture (ACN), given the company narrowed its revenue growth guidance for the year and warned of the impact of federal spending cuts in its previous quarterly update. On the London market, Berkeley (BKG.L) is due to report, with focus expected to be on whether the housebuilder has any updates cash return plans. Premier Inn-owner Whitbread is another FTSE 100 (^FTSE) company due to update on its performance, following a slower start to year for its UK business. The Beach Boys frontman, widely regarded as a genius, left a gaping hole in the rock royalty family this week when he passed away at the age of 82. The troubled songwriter, who formed the band with his brothers, cousin and a friend in 1961, will always be remembered for his ability to craft sublime melodies, his innate gift for soaring harmonies and his relentless drive for studio perfection. The Beach Boys' 1966 Pet Sounds is frequently cited as one of the greatest albums ever made. Here's one of the best songs ever made, from that very album. Farewell Brian!
