Tonight, the milestone ceremony was attended by celebrities, entertainers and politicians who recognised the excellence of the Armed Forces.

The special ceremony recognised the hard work and bravery of UK servicemen and women. It was hosted by television presenter Lorraine Kelly at the historic Banqueting House in Whitehall, London.

She was joined by celebrities from the worlds of sport, entertainment and politics.

Earlier in the day, the Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson hosted the nominees at a special reception at 10 Downing Street.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:

This is our chance to honour all those who keep us safe. They truly are the best of British.

This year’s nominees received awards such as Best Reservist – honouring individuals who have gone above and beyond from any branch, at home or abroad. Also featured was the Overcoming Adversity award which recognises an individual who has rose above substantial obstacles in their life and continued their exceptional service despite it.

During tonight’s awards, the RAF Reaper Force won the Hero Overseas Unit award for its commitment to defeating Daesh and saving countless lives. Alongside this, members of SPEAR 17 were awarded the Inspiring Others award for becoming the first all British military team in history to complete a full unsupported traverse of Antarctica.

SPEAR 17, said:

We are blown away. It’s so nice to have the recognition ourselves and everybody else for all the dedication and hard work we all do. Thank you to everybody.

Prime Minister Theresa May presented the Award for Special Recognition to Operation Ruman where service personnel helped to provide relief to the British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean following the devastation of Hurricane Irma.

Also awarded was Lieutenant Jared Bambridge who displayed exceptional gallantry in June when a terror attack struck in London, by treating 11 casualties and saving multiple lives off duty.

Lieutenant Jared Bambridge said:

I don’t consider what I have done to be the exception or anymore than what anyone else would have done with the training that I have, so I am honoured to accept it on behalf of everybody.

In the military we work hard and we do a lot of thankless tasks, so at the end of the day to have such an event as this put on is a real honour for those thanked few who receive awards or just get nominated for the evening.

Corporal Phillip Keogh received the Best Reservist award after he volunteered to go into the aftermath of the terror atrocity at Manchester Arena. He used his skills as a paramedic to deliver life-saving care and his dedication and bravery saved multiple lives.

Corporal Philip Keogh said:

I was obviously questioning my ability whether I would be able to achieve what we thankfully did achieve on that night. And definitely the training you receive both as a reservist and then as a civilian paramedic, that kicked in. I’ve never been prouder to be from Manchester

The recognition this award is bringing is a little bit uncomfortable for me. I was one of nearly 300 staff deployed that day from the ambulance service. For me this belongs to everybody. And its not just the people in my uniform as a paramedic but there were civilian guys there, police, British Transport Police, and Greater Manchester Police. They all chipped in.

Hero at Home – Individual

Lieutenant Jared Bambridge, 1st Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, Army

Best Reservist

Corporal Phillip Keogh, 355 Medical Evacuation Unit, Army

Hero at Home – Unit

Southern Diving Unit 2, Royal Navy

Overcoming Adversity

Former Senior Aircraftman Luke Wigman and former Captain Ibi Ali, RAF Regiment, RAF, and The Yorkshire Regiment, Army

Hero Overseas – Individual

Leading Seaman Sally Hughes, HMS Dragon, Royal Navy

Hero Overseas – Unit

UK Reaper Squadron, RAF

Inspiring Others

SPEAR 17, Army

Innovation Award

Warrant Officer Paul Moonan, Royal Navy

Judges’ Award for Special Recognition

Operation Ruman

Support to the Armed Forces

Veterans with Dogs

Calling for urgent and unhindered humanitarian access to the Syrian enclave of Eastern Ghouta, Alistair Burt, Minister of State for the Middle East, said:

Minister for Africa Rory Stewart has announced an additional £52 million humanitarian package to help the communities – including refugees and internally displaced people – impacted by the ongoing conflict in South Sudan.

The funding – which will provide much-needed food, shelter and support – comes as peace talks begin to find a resolution to the conflict, now entering its fourth year.

The £52 million package announced today from the Department for International Development will support those fleeing the conflict in South Sudan and help Sudan, Uganda and Ethiopia – some of the world’s poorest countries – to cope with the largest refugee crisis in Africa.

Since the beginning of the conflict, four million South Sudanese have left their homes, of which up to 85% are women and children. Over a third of the population – 4.8 million people – do not have secure access to food. The UK is working in South Sudan to tackle both the causes and the consequences of the conflict.

The High-Level Revitalization Forum (HLRF) will convene on Monday to begin the peace talks in Addis Ababa, to be led by neighbouring African countries including Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, and Sudan.

The UK is working closely with the region and the wider international community to bring all the relevant parties back to the table to agree an inclusive political settlement.

Minister for Africa for the Foreign Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development, Rory Stewart, said:

The people of South Sudan continue to suffer at the hands of a dire security, human rights and humanitarian crisis, caused by the on-going conflict in their country. But the scars of this war can be felt right across the region.

This support package will help South Sudan and its neighbours provide thousands of displaced people with the lifesaving medicines, shelter, food and sanitation that are so desperately needed.

The much-needed support to those fleeing conflict and instability in South Sudan will include:

• Shelter, education, food and sanitary provision to 50,000 South Sudanese refugees every year for the next five years, and livelihoods support for 30,000 South Sudanese refugees, in Sudan.
• Food assistance to 950,000 refugees from the country living in Uganda.
• Critical healthcare, treatment for malnutrition and clean water to 450,000 South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia
• Up to 500,000 people in South Sudan will be helped with a range of interventions including emergency food, medicine and shelter, improved health and sanitation, as well as seeds, tools and fishing kits to help people feed their families by ensuring they can maintain their livelihoods.

The UK has played a leading role in the global response to the crisis, providing lifesaving aid, deploying peacekeepers to provide vital engineering and medical assistance to the UN Mission of South Sudan, and working with international partners to build a genuine and sustainable peace.

Minister for Africa Rory Stewart added:

The UK can be proud of the important work we are doing in South Sudan, addressing both the causes and the consequences of this conflict – from the dedication of British diplomats, to aid workers providing food and water, and the nearly 300 British military personnel building vital roads and infrastructure in difficult circumstances. Crucially, we are helping the country prepare for a future free from conflict.

Now we need to see real progress from the peace process. Our expectations are clear – all parties must end hostilities and full humanitarian access must be granted, so we can help innocent people caught up in the conflict.

Ends

This £52m funding package is made up of:

• £10m for at least 500,000 interventions in South Sudan such as emergency food, medicine and shelter, improved health and sanitation, as well as seeds, tools and fishing kits to help people feed their families and maintain their livelihoods.
• £15m to provide 950,000 South Sudanese refugees who have fled to Uganda with essential food supplies or cash equivalent.
• £8m to provide 450,000 South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia with critical healthcare, treatment for malnutrition, shelter, clean water and sanitation.
• £19m to provide essential humanitarian assistance to over 50,000 South Sudanese refugees who have fled to Sudan every year for the next five years, including livelihoods support for 30,000 refugees.

On Monday 18 December the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) will convene the High-Level Revitalization Forum (HLRF) for the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (the Agreement). The members of the Troika (Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States) have made clear that the HLRF is a unique and critical opportunity to make progress towards peace. The humanitarian, economic, security, human rights and political situation continues to deteriorate with devastating consequences for the people of South Sudan. Over half the population now lack enough food to feed themselves and a third of the population have fled their homes, causing the largest refugee crisis in Africa. This situation is intolerable to the region and the international community. It cannot continue.

The region and the international community have repeatedly called for all parties to the conflict to participate in the HLRF constructively and in a spirit of compromise and inclusion. The members of the Troika fully expect the Government of South Sudan to adhere to its repeated public and private commitments to participate in the HLRF in good faith, and with the immediate goal of stopping the fighting. Although it is a member of IGAD, the Government is also a party to the conflict. To achieve a sustainable peace, no party to the conflict can have undue influence or a veto on the process, including the Government. The opposition also bears responsibility for coming to the table without preconditions. All parties must engage sincerely and make concessions in the national interest; otherwise, the conflict and suffering will continue.

The Troika fully supports IGAD’s continuing effort to build peace and, in particular, the tireless work undertaken by IGAD Special Envoy Ismail Wais to bring the parties together. The Troika views the HLRF as the essential, inclusive forum to advance peace; other efforts and fora must support the HLRF or risk diverting attention and focus, and delaying progress. IGAD’s ability to solve this crisis depends on unity of purpose amongst its members, and we urge the IGAD countries to speak with one voice. As the Troika has previously stated, the HLRF and its outcome must be genuinely inclusive and reflect the political reality of South Sudan today. The Troika reiterates its intent to stand with IGAD in its efforts to make progress toward peace and effective implementation of the Agreement, and its readiness to take action against those who obstruct the process.

Further information

PHE has been given planning permission to create a world-leading public health science campus at Harlow in Essex.

The landmark decision helps secure PHE’s role as a global leader in applying cutting-edge science to protect and improve the public’s health for the next generation through the creation of a ‘state-of-the-art’ centre of national and international scientific expertise.

PHE Harlow, as the site will be known, is expected to employ up to 2,750 people by 2024, with scope for further expansion.

The campus is critical to the future of PHE, ensuring we will be able to use the latest scientific advances to deliver our world-leading science and evidence for issues such as smoking, alcohol, diabetes, dementia, infectious diseases, environmental hazards and climate change nationally and internationally.

PHE was given the go-ahead to create the campus at a meeting of Harlow District Council’s Development Management Committee today (13 December 2017). Approval is for outline planning with more detailed applications to follow for elements including an arrivals area and car parking. It follows government approval of £400 million capital support for the scheme.

The campus will allow PHE to fully embrace the new technologies of whole genome sequencing, public health interventions and ‘big data’ and transform the delivery of public health science for many years to come.

It means that PHE will relocate from facilities at Porton in Wiltshire, Colindale in north London, as well as its central London headquarters to a single centre of excellence for public health research, health improvement and protection. PHE Harlow will support PHE’s teams that cover the whole country and its work around the world.

PHE Harlow will be built at a site previously owned by GlaxoSmithKline at their New Frontiers Science Park on the Pinnacles Industrial Estate in Harlow.

As well as providing a significant permanent economic and employment boost to the local economy, the campus will see thousands of construction-related jobs being created.

The next step in 2018 will be the preparation of the site for the construction. Building work is expected to start in 2019 with phased occupation starting in 2021.

Richard Gleave, PHE Deputy Chief Executive, said:

This landmark decision is one of the most important not just for PHE but also for the nation’s health. It allows us to build on the incredible work we already do to deliver some of the best public health science in the world.

PHE Harlow will be a world-leading national and international resource and this approval could not come at a better time. Every year we face new challenges both at home and abroad and the public should rest assured that this decision will see us even better prepared to tackle these head on.

The site is within the ‘London Cambridge corridor’ – one of the leading life sciences research zones in Europe – and provides opportunities for PHE to collaborate with commercial, academic and public sector partners.

Steve Brine MP, Minister for Public Health, said:

We’re now one step closer to achieving our vision of a campus that sets the world-standard for public health science. This is a significant step not only for PHE but for public health nationally and internationally.

Councillor Jon Clempner, Leader of Harlow Council, said:

This decision signals a key moment in building Harlow’s tomorrow. PHE’s move is part of the regeneration of Harlow – making it a better place to live, work and visit. This development and investment in our town, and the investment which will follow, will play a major part in Harlow’s bright future.

New jobs and opportunities for local people and local businesses will be created and Harlow will be placed on the world map. Together, we are committed to ensuring that local people and local businesses take the opportunities the public health science campus will bring to Harlow.

View the full application online.

1. PHE submitted an outline business case to government in July 2014. An interim decision was taken in September 2015 to move the majority of PHE functions from Porton to Harlow. In November 2015, the government supported a further proposal to move PHE science facilities at Colindale to Harlow to create a single integrated campus. It has committed £400 million capital investment for the project.

2. It is hoped the public health science campus will be fully operational by 2024, with the first building work expected to start in 2019 and a phased occupation from 2021.

3. The planning application, consisting of 3,000 pages and nearly 300 drawings and images, was submitted in August following extensive consultation with stakeholders and the local community.

4. The application also includes a travel and visitor plan which outlines car parking provision and sets out sustainable travel and transport plans for the site. These include shuttle buses to and from Harlow Town railway station as well as car-share and cycle-to-work schemes.

5. PHE is committed to being a good neighbour. The planning application outlines PHE’s longer term commitments to Harlow, through investment in highways and public transport, early years childcare and contribution to Harlow’s important history of public art and sculpture.

6. Planning approval has been given subject to a Section 106 agreement being signed by PHE and Harlow District Council. This agreement is expected to be signed in the next few weeks.

7. Whole genome sequencing is the mapping out of a person’s unique DNA and enables more accurate, sophisticated and cost-effective genetic testing.

8. Public Health England exists to protect and improve the nation’s health and wellbeing, and reduce health inequalities. We do this through world-leading science, knowledge and intelligence, advocacy, partnerships and providing specialist public health services. We are an executive agency of the Department of Health, and are a distinct organisation with operational autonomy to advise and support government, local authorities and the NHS in a professionally independent manner. Follow us on Twitter: @PHE_uk and Facebook: www.facebook.com/PublicHealthEngland.