A woman from Herefordshire included in King's New Year Honours list
Ellie Somme has been recognised for services to vulnerable children
Last updated 30th Dec 2023
The King's New Year Honours for 2024 have been announced and include some people across Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
Stats show our region's underrepresented on the list - with under 5% of honours being given to those living here.
Ellie Somme runs The Teddy Trust from Eardisley in Herefordshire and helps thousands of children around the world deal with traumatic experiences.
She's been recognised for services to vulnerable children and is receiving an MBE and told us - she's still in shock from the news:
"This is really wow - that somebody could really think of us - could think of me in those terms.
"I've just been on cloud nine since I heard way back - It's been the most extraordinary feeling that somebody's been generous enough to do that"
"I'm just hugely thankful. It's the most amazing thing to have happened.
"To me on a personal level, but also for the Teddy Trust, I'm hoping it will really put us on the map. Like most charities we struggle a bit."
Ellie told us a bit more about what they do:
"We're sending teddy bears to children who need comfort. We work with a psychiatrist who told us that a teddy bear can take the place of a lost mother.
"So that's how profundly affecting they are for children who are suffering the most appalling trauma in their lives.
"Some of it you can't even begin to think could happen to a child. And that's what these teddy bears are for."
Meanwhile MP for Bromsgrove and former Chancellor Sajid Javid has been knighted.