"Our daughters would be astonished": bereaved mums collect OBEs for work against gender-based violence

Two mums from the West Country who have been fighting for justice for their daughters - killed by their ex-boyfriends - were just two of a number of people who this week have collected their OBEs for their important work in their local communities.

Other recipients include the journalist who first uncovered the Post Office Horizon scandal, who has called it "sad" some subpostmasters had still not received compensation, after being made an OBE at Buckingham Palace.

Rebecca Thomson, who led the original investigation into the faulty IT system while working for Computer Weekly, was recognised by the Princess Royal for services to journalism.

Hundreds of subpostmasters were wrongly convicted of stealing after Fujitsu's defective Horizon accounting system made it appear as though money was missing at their branches.

"The Princess Royal asked about the scandal - where it's at, how we found out about it, and the whole situation," Ms Thomson said after the ceremony.

'It's been very surreal'

"It's been very surreal - it started such a long time ago, and it's sad that it's still rumbling on."

Ms Thomson said it was "extraordinary" to be honoured for her reporting, but added: "Now it would be amazing for the compensation to be finished and everyone to receive their financial redress.

"Lots of people didn't get the compensation that they thought they were entitled to.

"I would love to see that come to an end soon."

The long-running battle for justice accelerated dramatically after ITV broadcast the drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, which highlighted the scandal.

Fujitsu has acknowledged it has a "moral obligation" to contribute to compensation paid to subpostmasters, pending the outcome of a public inquiry led by Sir Wyn Williams.

Ms Thomson said some of the subpostmasters had congratulated her after the New Year Honours list was published.

Also recognised at Thursday's ceremony was Professor Philip Jones, a leading climate scientist whose decades of work helped link human activity to global warming.

He was made an OBE for services to climate science.

'Our daughters... would wish we didn't have to do it'

Campaigners Julie Devey and Carole Gould, who have fought for justice after their daughters, Poppy Devey Waterhouse, 24, and Ellie Gould, 17, were killed by ex-boyfriends, were also made OBEs for their tireless work on relationship-based violence.

"We've worked really hard - it's good to have that recognition," said Ms Devey.

Read more: Bereaved Wiltshire mother awarded OBE in New Year's Honours

"If someone had said to us six years ago that this would happen, we could never have imagined it.

"Our daughters would be astonished - they would wish that we didn't have to do it.

"We can't bring them back and that's ultimately what we would prefer, but they would be saying 'take it, take it'."

Among the other recipients were Professor Dame Stephanie Amiel, a leading diabetes researcher, and Professor Sir Jack Cuzick, known for his work in cancer screening.

Lifelong RNLI volunteer Sheila Warner also became an MBE for 65 years of service in Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk.

Tony Martin, a retired HGV driver and long-time rugby league touch judge from Oldham, was made an OBE after officiating at 10 Super League Grand Finals and continuing to volunteer at grassroots level.

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