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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'.
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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.'
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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."
