Acton Charity Head Features in King's Birthday Honours List
Sarah Hamilton-Fairley given OBE for work with the Sepsis Trust
Sarah Hamilton-Fairley. Picture: The UK Sepsis Trust
June 17, 2026
Acton-based Sarah Hamilton-Fairley, Chief Executive of The UK Sepsis Trust, has been awarded an OBEin the King’s Birthday 2026 Honours for her outstanding contribution to sepsis awareness and patient advocacy.
The honour, announced in the London Gazette on 12 June, recognises more than two decades of work in the charity sector and a decade of leadership at the UK’s national sepsis charity.
Sarah joined the UK Sepsis Trust (UKST) in 2015, helping to transform it from a small organisation into the country’s leading voice on sepsis prevention and survivor support. Under her leadership, public awareness of sepsis as a medical emergency has risen from 27 per cent in 2012 to 91 per cent in 2024, and the charity’s clinical tools are now widely used across the NHS.
She was instrumental in developing the landmark “Just Ask: ‘Could it be Sepsis?’” campaign, which brought sepsis into the national conversation and encouraged both clinicians and the public to recognise the condition early. UKST’s Sepsis Savvy programme has since reached millions through schools, workplaces and public bodies.
Founded in 2012 by NHS consultant Dr Ron Daniels BEM, the charity works to end preventable deaths and improve outcomes for survivors. Sepsis affects around 245,000 people in the UK each year and claims 48,000 lives – roughly five every hour.
Sarah said she was “hugely grateful” for the recognition and emphasised that the award reflected a collective effort. “The UK Sepsis Trust is powered by an extraordinary team of staff, volunteers, trustees, clinicians and supporters, all united by a shared determination to improve outcomes for people affected by sepsis. Every step forward we have made has only been possible because of their expertise, determination and commitment.”
Tributes have come from across the charity and healthcare sectors. Dr Daniels described the honour as “a fitting celebration of her years of dedication, compassion and service,” while Lord Grade of Yarmouth CBE, Patron of UKST, praised her “incredible commitment to stem the sepsis crisis.”
Lord Mackinlay of Richborough, who co-chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Sepsis after surviving the condition himself, said Sarah ’s leadership had been “pivotal” to parliamentary efforts to raise awareness.
Mark Stock, Chair of Trustees, called her “a model of purpose-led leadership,” noting that campaigns such as Just Ask are saving lives through earlier recognition and treatment.
Beyond her work with UKST, Hamilton-Fairley has served as a trustee and governor for several educational and medical organisations, including Fairley House School, the Multiple Birth Foundation, St Paul’s Girls’ School and Marlborough College. She studied English at Oxford University.
The UK Sepsis Trust continues to call for volunteers to help raise awareness and support its work. “All help is much appreciated and gratefully received,” said Sarah. Those interested can contact her at sarah@sepsistrust.org.
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