New Year Honour for CEO Paula Bee

Paula Bee, Chief Executive of Age UK Wakefield District and Chair of the Age England Association awarded and MBE in the New Year Honours List

Paula has been awarded the MBE for services to older people, acknowledging the work she has done over the past eighteen years with Age UK Wakefield District whilst also supporting the Network of Age UK Partners across England as Chair of the Age England Association, as they have sought to transform the ways in which they work together.

Working with a team of staff and volunteers Age UK Wakefield District has been able to meet the needs of thousands of older individuals in need of support in challenging times.

Annually Age UK Wakefield District responds to around 10,000 requests for support, with one in four over the age of 75 reaching out to the organisation for help. Returning over £3million to individuals in benefits, this means that for every pound invested in the organisation one is put back into the pocket of an older person.

Over the past two decades Age UK Wakefield District has grown alongside significant societal change to become all that it is today. At its core it has always been the individuals who matter, and as such older voices have enabled the organisation to have played its part in the development of new and innovative ways of combining the delivery of Health and Care with Voluntary Sector support, participating in community teams of professionals to deliver community care whilst also pioneering new ways of supporting older individuals home from hospital.

Paula has also worked nationally with colleagues within the Age UK Network through the Age England Association as they have sought to work together closely to improve the lives of older people across the country. As Chair she was most recently involved with others   in the landmark launch of the  new Network  Agreement which sees all Age UK partners working together in a new collaboration across the UK for the first time, transforming the ways in which the Age UK Network will be able to support millions of older people.

Speaking about the honour, Paula Bee said: 

‘It is an honour and privilege to receive this award, but in all honesty it’s the wonderful staff, volunteers, colleagues, friends and family who have made this happen, we’ve done this together, and I’m very grateful to every single one of them!’

Peter Box, Chair of the Board has said:

"On behalf of the Board, I’m delighted to congratulate our CEO, Paula Bee on being awarded an MBE — a wonderfully well-deserved honour that reflects her commitment, leadership, and the positive difference she and the team at Age UK Wakefield District, make every day."

Members of the team have said:

"This is a recognistion of the time and energy Paula gives to our charity and to our people. We are all so happy and proud that she has been awarded the MBE."

"It's fantastic to see Paula acknowledged for her dedication and to shine a light on the amazing work done here in Wakefield and across the country by the Age UK family."