The Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, Professor Veronica Pickering OBE MBS HAC, presented British Empire Medals to Donna Hilton BEM and Paul Horton BEM at a ceremony held at Bridgford Hall on Wednesday 7 October 2026. The recipients were joined by family and guests to celebrate their exceptional service to others.
Donna Hilton BEM received the medal for services to children and young people. In 1998, Donna became the United Kingdom’s first hospital youth worker, pioneering a new approach to supporting young people living with long-term health conditions. Under her leadership, the Nottingham University Hospitals Youth Service grew from a small pilot into an established hospital-based youth service supporting more than 400 young people each year.
Donna also established the UK’s first hospital youth club for young people with long-term conditions and developed innovative life-skills and transition programmes that have been shared nationally. Through founding and chairing the National Health Based Youth Workers Group, she has helped professionals across the country share knowledge, improve practice and strengthen support for young people.
Paul Horton BEM received the medal for services to the community in Mansfield and Nottinghamshire, following almost five decades of voluntary service preserving and celebrating the county’s fire and rescue heritage. His involvement began at Mansfield Fire Station in the mid-1970s, and he helped transform a small collection of historic artefacts into the thriving Mansfield Fire Museum.
As a communications and media officer, trustee and volunteer, Paul has documented and shared the history of Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, preserving an invaluable archive of photographs, records and memories. Through educational visits and community engagement, he has also helped thousands of children and young people learn about fire safety, teamwork, public service and local history.
The Lord-Lieutenant warmly congratulated both recipients and thanked them for their outstanding dedication, commitment and service to communities in Nottinghamshire and beyond.
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Photos from mark@stagcommunications.com
