New Year Honours 2024: OBEs for bereaved Hampshire parents

A husband and wife have been made OBEs in the New Year Honours list for their work setting up a brain tumour charity.

Angela and Neil Dickson's daughter Samantha, from Hampshire, was 16 when she died from a brain tumour in 1996.

They found there was no dedicated charity for the condition so they established The Samantha Dickson Research Trust which later became The Brain Tumour Charity.

Elsewhere in Hampshire, Alice Hendy was honoured for services to online safety.

Samantha, from Hook, was studying at St Nicholas' School in Fleet when medics found she had a high-grade glioma.

Described as a "bright, lively, happy, fun-loving girl", she died seven days before her 17th birthday.

Her parents said they were "honoured" to be recognised after "tirelessly" working for 26 years to increase research and support patients.

"We still have a mountain to climb but major progress has been made since the dark days of 1996," Mr Dickson said, adding: "Samantha would have been so proud that her legacy has benefited others."

A fundraising stream was set up for The Brain Tumour Charity - The Samantha Dickson Fund - and has raised more than £230,000 for research into high-grade gliomas.

Elsewhere in Hampshire, Alice Hendy, from Fareham, said she was "humbled" after being appointed an MBE for services to online safety.

After losing her 21-year-old brother Josh to suicide in 2020, Ms Hendy launched R;pple.

The online interceptive tool is designed to ensure more help and support is provided to people who are conducting internet searches relating to self-harm or suicide.

"The creation of R;pple has helped a lot of people - and it's all in the name of my brother," she said.

Deborah Tann, chief executive of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, was also made an MBE for services to wildlife and the natural environment.

Additional reporting by PA Media.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].