'It changes nothing. My fight goes on': Campaigner wins OBE but Post Office battle isn't over

But Chris Head, from Boldon, vowed: “The fight will continue in 2025. Nothing has really changed’.

Falsely accused of stealing more than £80,000

Chris has helped more than 400 people in their fight to get compensation and accountability over the Post Office Horizon row.

He was himself falsely accused of stealing more than £80,000 from his branch in West Boldon, in 2006, before the criminal case against him was dropped.

Mr Head, who became the youngest sub postmaster, at the age of 18, when he took over the branch, was then pursued by the Post Office through the civil courts.

‘The honour doesn’t pay the bills’

Speaking about receiving the OBE, he said: “At the end of the day, the honour doesn’t pay the bills.

“I hope it gives us a bigger platform to hold the Government to account.”

More than 900 sub postmasters were prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 after faulty Horizon accounting software made it look as though money was missing from their accounts.

Hundreds of people are still waiting to be compensated

Hundreds are still awaiting compensation despite the previous government announcing that those who have had convictions quashed are eligible for £600,000 pay outs.

The issue returned to the spotlight after the screening of the Mr Bates vs The Post Office drama series.

And Chris made headlines himself when he launched an online petition calling for compensation and accountability. By January of 2024, it had received more than 400,000 signatures.