Whistleblower recognised in New Year honours

Two women who led the fight against one of the biggest scandals in Britain’s national health service have been recognised in the New Year honours list.

Julie Bailey, who set up the campaign group Cure the NHS, was made a CBE while Helene Donnelly, a nurse who became a whistleblower, was made an OBE.

Helene Donnelly worked in the A&E department at Stafford Hopsital where she raised nearly 100 complaints about the treatment of patients, turned whistleblower and was a key witness at the Stafford Hospital public inquiry. Donnelly told the BBC she was "tremendously proud and honoured" to receive the OBE for services to the NHS, after what had been a "very difficult time personally and professionally".

Julie Bailey, who led the campaign for a public inquiry into failings at the hospital, was given a CBE for "services to the care of older people".

• Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens' assistant ceo Ian Egginton-Metters has also been awarded an OBE, in recognition of his contribution to city farming which stretches back more than 30 years. He first became involved in city farming in 1980 and went on to run the national Federation until 2000, before helping develop a number of partnerships including Care Farming UK, the School Farms Network, Growing Schools and Access to Farms. His interest in the therapeutic and educational benefits of farming and gardening began in the 70s, when he was an agriculturalist at a leprosy hospital in India where patients ran a 350-acre farm. He returned to the UK and worked with people with learning difficulties before being inspired to get involved in social change. He went on to help pull together the City Farms for Greater Manchester Group, which proved instrumental in the formation of Wythenshawe and Clayton City Farms.