Awards are insult to the true heroes.

(From Yorkshire Evening Post)

THE usual mix of the sublime and ridiculous makes up the New Year Honours List, which again leaves many in bemused puzzlement as to what exactly might be the purpose of this increasingly bizarre ritual. Notable exceptions to the guffaw-inducing roll-call do, of course, hark back to days when honours genuinely rewarded national treasures with the recognition they deserved.

And none is more deserving than Fanny Waterman, founder of the Leeds Pianoforte Competition and passionate champion of music and the arts in Yorkshire, who becomes a Dame.

This lady's tireless endeavours, which have raised the artistic profile of her city and county and given encouragement and career boosts to countless young musicians, have always been above and beyond duty's call.

That's more than can be said for so many others who have accepted the country's highest gifts of tribute for doing little or no more than what has been necessary for collection of salary or personal reward.

And again this year it seems they don't even have to do anything particularly well in order to collect their medals.

John Gieve, the senior civil servant at the centre of the "nannygate" affair, becomes a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath. The top honour is received by a man who ...