The mother and cousin of Grace Millane have been appointed Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the UK, for services to charitable fundraising and tackling violence against women.
On the eve of her twenty-second birthday, Millane was strangled to death in an Auckland hotel room by Jesse Shane Kempson, whom she had met on a dating app.
Following Millane’s death, Gillian Millane and Hannah O’Callaghan founded the Love Grace charity that supports victims of domestic abuse by providing handbags filled with practical items.
Love Grace also raises funds for White Ribbon in the UK and New Zealand, a charity which aims to educate men and boys on reducing family violence.
In a statement to the BBC, the pair said they ”are so humbled that Love Grace has been acknowledged and would like to thank those who nominated us.”
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Grace Millane at her graduation at Lincoln University.
“Thank you to everyone who has donated, and all of our friends and family who have helped us with Love Grace,” the statement read.
“We would like to accept this award on their behalf and in Grace’s name.
“We will continue to raise awareness of the issues many face, and make sure that no other family has to go through this.”
