Influential British Ghanaians were among more than 1,000 recipients of King Charles’ New Year Honours List 2026.
The list included a multi-award-winning actor and knife crime campaigner; a consultant nephrologist; an author and award-winning art curator; an athlete and prostate cancer survivor; and a former soldier and local councillor.
Dr Idris Elba
Dr Idrissa Akuna Elba OBE adds another honour to his name with the title Sir after being honoured with a knighthood for services to young people.
Idris, who is well known for his role in Luther, The Wire and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, has a Golden Globe and several Emmy and Bafta nominations under his belt.
He is the founder of The Akuna Group, a pan-African company focused on media, entertainment, technology and infrastructure, building creative ecosystems across the continent.
In 2025, Idris was named as the UK’s third-most influential Black person in the 2026 Powerlist.
He is also known for his campaigning work to restrict online knife sales and tighten regulations on dangerous weapons through his organisation Elba Hope Foundation.
His achievements were noted in the following quote on the government website linked to the New Year Honours:
“He (Idris) is recognised for his exceptional contributions to entertainment and tireless efforts in youth empowerment and social justice. He champions the ‘Don’t Stop Your Future’ campaign against youth violence and knife crime, having launched the DSYF clothing brand in 2019, released the single ‘Knives Down’ in 2024, and co-launched the Don’t Stop Your Future Youth Tour in 2025.
“As co-founder of the Elba Hope Foundation, an alumnus and then a supporter of The King’s Trust, he co-created the Creative Futures project, providing vocational training in the arts for disadvantaged youth. His advocacy and initiatives have significantly impacted global audiences and local communities.”
Dr Dwomoa Adu
Described as the first Black consultant nephrologist, Dr Dwomoa Adu receives the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to treating kidney disease in the UK and overseas.
Dr Adu was a founder of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Renal Service, one of the largest and highest quality comprehensive kidney units.
This Service pioneered patient-centred care at a time when the NHS did not provide adequate resources to dialyse all those who might benefit.
Dr Adu is an Honorary Consultant Nephrologist and Senior Research Fellow, University of Ghana Medical School.
Ekow Eshun
Described as a ‘cultural polymath’ by The Guardian, Ekow has become a household name in the arts and creative culture industries, curating exhibitions and chairing lectures, authoring books including The Strangers: Five Extraordinary Black Men and the Worlds That Made Them, In the Black Fantastic, and Black Gold of the Sun: Searching for Home in England and Africa.
Ekow was the first Black editor of a major magazine in the UK (Arena Magazine in 1997) and was also the first Black director of a major arts organisation, the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London.
He is the chair of The Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group, which oversees London’s renowned public art program in Trafalgar Square.
Joe Appiah
Competitive athlete and sprint hurdles masters champion, Joe Appiah received the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to sport, public health and public service.
Joe is a prostate cancer survivor and has used his experience to raise awareness of the disease.
It was on the advice of a friend in 2021, that Joe decided to check his prostate. He was 50 years old and despite showing no signs of previous symptoms, he received the devastating news that he had the disease.
Thankfully, his decision to listen to his friend and get tested meant that doctors were able to treat him successfully.
Joe has since used his experiences to encourage more men to get screened. He has participated in Prostate Cancer UK’s annual March for Men event at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, and has spoken extensively about his battle with the disease.
According to Prostate Cancer UK, cancer is the most common type of cancer in men.
One in eight men in the UK will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. The figure is higher for Black men, with one in four being diagnosed every year. Black men are also more likely to get prostate cancer at a younger age of 45, compared to men of other races who can get it from age 50 or over.
Councillor Franklin Owusu-Antwi
Franklin Owusu-Antwi received an MBE for services to local government. Franklin is the councillor for the ward of Bradley Stoke North.
In May 2024, he was named as the new Chair of South Gloucestershire Council – an ambassadorial role that includes representing the council at civic functions and chairing council meetings.
In 2020, he became the first-ever black cabinet member in a local authority’s 24-year history.
