King's Honours Celebrate UK's Youngest MBE & The Hillwalking Hijabi

The latest King's Birthday Honours list has unveiled two truly inspiring women, each making profound impacts in their respective fields: an extraordinary 11-year-old from Dorset setting a new record, and a Glasgow-based trailblazer championing inclusivity in the great outdoors. These accolades underscore the diverse ways individuals are contributing to a more compassionate and equitable United Kingdom.

Carmela Chillery-Watson: The Youngest MBE, A True Wonder Woman

Dorset's own Carmela Chillery-Watson, at just 11 years old, has made history by becoming the youngest person ever to be appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This remarkable honour recognizes her outstanding services to charitable fundraising, a testament to her indomitable spirit despite battling LMNA congenital muscular dystrophy.

Diagnosed with the condition at three years old in 2017, which affects her movement, heart, and lungs, Carmela has nevertheless embarked on approximately 25 fundraising and awareness campaigns. Her efforts have directly helped Muscular Dystrophy UK raise over £400,000. "I'm just really ecstatic and surprised that I'm receiving the honour," Carmela shared, radiating joy. "It's incredible."

Among her many inspiring feats is her 2020 "Wonder Woman Walk," where she initially walked one kilometre a day, then propelled herself an additional nine kilometres daily in her wheelchair for a month. This epic 300-kilometre journey saw her dressed as her favourite superhero, traversing 30 locations across Cornwall, Somerset, Wiltshire, and Surrey. She's also conquered a 100-mile walking challenge along Dorset's iconic Jurassic Coast. "I have to say, I love all of them," Carmela enthused. "They are all so fun."

Beyond physical challenges, Carmela extends her reach by teaching online exercises, for an optional small donation, to individuals with muscular dystrophy and similar disabilities, reaching participants from as far as Africa and the US. This MBE adds to her British Citizen Youth Award Medal of Honour received in 2023. While the Government acknowledges her as potentially the youngest MBE, citing incomplete historical data, she notably breaks the record held by paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds, who received her MBE at 14 in 2009, and surpasses Tony Hudgell, who received a BEM at nine in 2024.

"I never thought anything like this would happen," Carmela admitted. "I just want to make a difference to the disability community, to be able to show them: You're strong, you can do whatever you want." Her mother, Lucy Chillery-Watson, expressed immense pride, noting Carmela's "true resilience and determination" since birth. Carmela's next challenge, the "Poo Plod" on June 23rd, will see her walk and wheel five miles dressed as a toilet (with her mum as a poo!) to raise funds for specialist school toilets. She is also thrilled at the prospect of meeting King Charles or Queen Camilla at her investiture.

Zahrah Mahmood: The Hillwalking Hijabi Opening Doors to the Outdoors

From Glasgow, Zahrah Mahmood, widely known as "The Hillwalking Hijabi" on social media, has also been recognized in the King's Birthday Honours. She receives an MBE for her invaluable voluntary service in Scotland, specifically for her pioneering work in championing diversity and inclusion within the outdoor community.

As the newly appointed president of Ramblers Scotland, the 34-year-old chartered accountant and mother-of-two leverages her Instagram platform to share her own hillwalking adventures and offer practical advice, inspiring a more inclusive outdoor space. Her journey into hillwalking began during a difficult personal time, finding solace and healing in Scotland's munros with friends.

Mrs. Mahmood passionately highlights the "significant barriers to access" that still exist for diverse communities, including racial groups, new mothers, and low-income families, when it comes to engaging with outdoor activities. "If you include groups such as new mums or people from lower-income backgrounds, regardless of race, you will find more specific barriers," she explains. "Of course, those who sit at the intersection of these experiences will no doubt face the greatest barriers. We need to continue to have really inclusive conversations about what accessibility means for everyone."

On receiving her MBE, Mrs. Mahmood shared, "If I’m being honest I’m still taking it in. I’m grateful, and I hope I can continue using whatever platform this brings to keep doing the work which matters to me and so many others." She never set out to be an influencer but firmly believes in the power of "visibility" as a crucial first step towards genuine inclusion. "If this recognition helps a little to show that the outdoors is for everyone, that would mean the world to me," she affirmed.

Both Carmela Chillery-Watson and Zahrah Mahmood's honours serve as powerful reminders of the profound positive change individuals can bring about through determination, compassion, and a commitment to making the world more accessible and inclusive for all.