'I share this honour with all the amazing people who have welcomed refugees this year'
Baptist Dr Krish Kandiah was awarded an OBE for services to refugee integration in the New Year's Honours list
In 2022 Krish launched the Sanctuary Foundation, which encouraged families, individuals, churches, community groups and businesses to welcome Ukrainian refugees.
In 2021 he created ukhk, an initiative to help churches play their part in welcoming people from Hong Kong, and Afghan Welcome, to support new arrivals from Afghanistan. Krish, who has worked with refugees since 1997, has also developed resources used to support Kosovan refugees and unaccompanied child refugees.
He and his wife Miriam are foster parents and their family has welcomed many children in the care system, as well as a number of refugee children.
Krish, a member of Cornerstone Baptist Church, Thame for 14 years, and a tutor at Regent's Park College, Oxford, shared news of the award on his social media channels.
'Thank you so much for your lovely messages of congratulations', he stated. 'I'm honoured to receive an OBE from His Majesty the King.
'I share this honour with all the amazing people who have welcomed refugees this year. Thank you to God, family, colleagues, volunteers, friends, hosts & donors.'
He accompanied this message with a quote from the author, activist and advocate Helen Keller: 'Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much'.
Baptist Times, 03/01/2023