London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Peter Haycraft & Stacy R. Mather make Queen’s New Year's Honours List

A businessman and a youth empowerment director from the Virgin Islands (VI) have made the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II 2020 Honour's List in recognition of outstanding achievements in the Territory.

They are; Roadtown Wholesale Trading (RTW) Founder, Shareholder and Director, Mr Peter Haycraft for services to the [British] Virgin Islands, and Director of Youth Empowerment Project (YEP), Mr Stacy Roger Mather aka 'Buddah', for services to the community and youth in the territory.

Peter Haycraf, OBE

Mr Haycraft, who has been involved in a number of community projects in the Territory was awarded the Order of the British Empire, OBE, given in honour for making a great impact in his line of work.

Originating from Worthing, a coastal town in West Sussex, England, Mr Haycraft moved to the Virgin Islands in 1961 with his wife Penny Haycraft. They worked on several other ideas such as a gas station, a car dealership, and an inter-island passenger/cargo service, but eventually settled on the project that would become Roadtown Wholesale Trading Ltd.

Over the years, the Haycrafts has contributed greatly to the development of the territory. More recently, Mr Haycraft pledged some $1M towards the rebuilding of the Hurricane destroyed the Enis Adams Primary School building at Meyers Estate on Tortola, which was recently re-opened.

In keeping with his word that “financing is guaranteed, right through to the last brick, no matter what it costs,” he injected another $1M to see the steel-framed, hurricane-resistant 2-storey building to completion.

Mr Haycraft, who is also heavily involved in sailing and VI cricket had previously disclosed that he chose to help rebuild the Enis Adams Primary School because his wife, many years ago read to the students there and loved the view from the classroom in which she was reading from.

Stacy Roger Mather, MBE

The second recipient, Mr Mather, received the Member of the Order of the British Empire Honour, the third highest-ranking award, behind Commander of the Order of the British Empire, CBE which is first and then OBE.

Mr Mather is the Director of YEP, a privately funded youth centre in the VI that opened in May 2007 as a safe haven that provides opportunities and activities for over 700 young people in the territory.

The organisation has a mission to inspire young people to pursue learning experiences that will help them become socially responsible friends, neighbours and citizens.

It also has a mandate to provide a safe environment allow participants to explore and pursue their interests, foster meaningful relationships between youth and adults, cultivate our members’ civic responsibility and pride and promote optimism and opportunity among youth.

Since its establishment as an organisation in 2006, YEP has provided programming and support to over 3,000 local youths and hosts yearly summer programmes for local youth, providing about 150 young persons with 10-weeks of free educational and engaging activities.

Who gets Honoured?

According to sources, the decision about who gets an honour is made by special committees, with the process beginning with nominations from the public. Those are then siphoned down by the committees and reviewed by the UK Prime Minister before the various honours are bestowed by Queen Elizabeth II or senior royals.

Along with the Birthday honours, the New Year’s Honours list is the most significant announcement of civilian and military gallantry awards.

The system acknowledges the achievements made by ordinary people as well as celebrities and public figures who have made significant contributions to public life or commitments to serving and helping the UK.

Typically, the nominees will have improved the lives of others or will be outstanding in what they do in some way.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×