New Years Honours – Lucy Watts MBE

To my wonderful friends, family and supporters, I have a very, very exciting announcement to make: I am now 

I have been appointed Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen’s New Year Honours List!! 

MISS LUCY ALEXANDRIA WATTS             22 yrs old            (BENFLEET, ESSEX)
For services to Young People with Disabilities
She has worked tirelessly to be an advocate for other young people with health and disability conditions and to educate others about the needs of children and young people who require constant 24/7 care and the challenges they face. She uses social media to write and speak for charities and for those without a voice, wanting to make her life count and inspiring others to do the same. She posts regularly on her website Lucy’s Light – most recently to promote Dying Awareness Week in May 2015. Her main focus of activity has been children’s palliative care. She has extended this to influencing national policymakers and expert advisers to government.

I am so, so amazed, honoured, proud and humbled that people think me worthy of such an accolade. I still cannot get used to being referred to as MBE or having MBE written after my name; it is surreal. My brain is struggling to comprehend what has happened, I am so, so happy and just so grateful to everyone for getting me to this point. 

I would not be here without the support of friends and followers, of the charities who entrust me with the job of representing their charity or cause, of all the many people who have given me opportunities they have: attending Parliament (twice, speaking once), the Department of Health three times (including co-chairing an event there on 1st December 2015), becoming the spokesperson for the Open University Sexuality Alliance and Together for Short Lives’ “Talking about sex, sexuality and relationships” guidance, being Ambassador for Together for Short Lives, the first Global Youth Ambassador at the International Children’s Palliative Care Network, Trustee of the Pseudo Obstruction Research Trust, Ambassador for Dreams Come True and Community Champion and End The Awkward blogger for Scope, and so many other wonderful opportunities. 

It has been truly wonderful and I look forward to all the things we will get up to in 2016 and I hope the MBE will open up some doors too. 

Many thanks for your support, here are a list of links and bits about the MBE which will probably be updated many times. 

MBE awarded to Together for Short Lives’ Young Ambassador Lucy Alexandria Watts 

ITV News Article and Filmed Clips

Article in The Guardian about my MBE

Benfleet’s Campaigning Lucy Watts Awarded MBE – Yellow Advertiser

Listen to my BBC Essex appearance here – New Years Day, 01/01/16
I’m on at around 2hrs 40mins, so a friend told me. 

(c) Echo News/NQE

At Sky News Studios/Sky News HQ

At Sky News Studios/Sky News HQ

In the Echo, 31.12.15

.@LucyAlexandria works tirelessly advocating for young people with health and disability conditions #NewYearsHonours pic.twitter.com/tdkq6WVWJG

— Cabinet Office (@cabinetofficeuk) December 31, 2015

Most deserved #NewYearsHonour goes to @LucyAlexandria – huge congratulations from all of us at AYPH. @Tog4ShortLives

— AYPH charity (@AYPHcharity) December 31, 2015

22 year-old @LucyAlexandria from #Benfleet gets MBE for work with disabled young people: https://t.co/PLdguUIwft pic.twitter.com/B4bUm7uv5P

— Essex News (@HeartEssexNews) December 31, 2015

ICPCN’s amazing Global Youth Ambassador @LucyAlexandria is now Ms Lucy Watts, MBE!! So proud of you, Lucy! https://t.co/MplHj0fgP6

— ICPCN (@ICPCN) December 31, 2015

Well done @LucyAlexandria , just brilliant your remarkable contribution has been recognised. https://t.co/Yx9hQlg7yP

— Jon Rouse (@RouseJonDGDH) December 31, 2015

Many congratulations @LucyAlexandria on the award of an MBE. Well deserved. From everyone @DHChildHealth

— DHChildHealth (@DHChildHealth) December 30, 2015

Our warmest congrats to @LucyAlexandria from all @Tog4ShortLives on your MBE for services to young people w disabilities #NewYearsHonours

— Barbara Gelb (@BarbaraCEO_tfsl) December 30, 2015

See our story about the inspiring @LucyAlexandria – awarded an MBE for services to young people with disabilities https://t.co/W1Mvqu24Lh

— Together4ShortLives (@Tog4ShortLives) December 30, 2015

Huge congratulations to @LucyAlexandria on her MBE for services to young people with disabilities #NewYearsHonours pic.twitter.com/RxvF9dduEL

— Together4ShortLives (@Tog4ShortLives) December 30, 2015

See our story about the inspiring @LucyAlexandria – awarded an MBE for services to young people with disabilities https://t.co/W1Mvqu24Lh

— Together4ShortLives (@Tog4ShortLives) December 30, 2015

. @RebeccaFront @LucyAlexandria Thank you Rebecca – it’s wonderful news, we are so thrilled for Lucy – she is a star & inspiration to us all

— Together4ShortLives (@Tog4ShortLives) December 30, 2015

Well done @LucyAlexandria on your #MBE A great ambassador for #EDS & inspiration for all young people with disabilities #MakingADifference

— Dr Kate (@barnes_johnson) December 31, 2015

Inspiring interview with @LucyAlexandria on @SkyNews about her MBE & why it’s so important to be a voice for young people #NewYearsHonours

— Together4ShortLives (@Tog4ShortLives) December 31, 2015