Subpostmaster campaigners hope OBEs will help fight for full and fair redress
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Leading subpostmaster campaigners who have been made Officers of the British Empire have vowed they will “never give in” in their fight to help fellow Post Office scandal victims receive full and fair compensation. Lee Castleton, Seema Misra, Chris Head and Jo Hamilton were made OBEs for services to justice, after Sir Alan Bates was knighted earlier this year.
Mr Castleton told the PA news agency it was “wonderful” to be recognised alongside his fellow campaigners, adding: “Sometimes you have to step forward and shout as loud as you can because some of our group aren’t able to do that.”. He said: “I’m very honoured and very proud.
“Obviously, it’s one of those things where it’s not the end. “It’s just sad that it’s been prolonged and protracted by the other side and it would be nice to just draw a line under everything with something like this – but onwards and upwards.”.
Mr Castleton, from Bridlington, East Yorkshire, was found to have had a £25,000 shortfall at his branch in 2004, and was made bankrupt after he lost his legal battle with the Post Office. His case came under the spotlight in January when it featured heavily in the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office.
Reflecting on what campaigning had been like since the drama, Mr Castleton said: “It’s been a complete turnaround really. “We were all of a sudden being listened to, we feel very engaged. “Whilst it’s frustrating that the actual people making the decisions on redress and accountability aren’t listening, the whole of the nation seems like they’re very much behind us.
