13th June – Fazilette Khan, founder of the environmental charity GreenSeas Trust, has been awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours for her outstanding services to marine conservation.
A pioneering figure in marine environmentalism, Fazilette’s commitment to protecting the world’s oceans started in 2000 when marine debris and climate change was not a daily debate. Under her leadership, GreenSeas Trust has reached a remarkable milestone: its flagship initiative, BinForGreenSeas, has now prevented over one million plastic bottles from entering the ocean — a major step forward in the global campaign against marine plastic pollution.
The BinForGreenSeas campaign is a nationwide initiative. Since the campaign launched in 2019, GreenSeas Trust has installed 23 bins in key UK coastal towns including Cardiff, Margate, Scarborough, Eastbourne and Portishead. Some of the most recent bins was unveiled in Qatar at The Pearl Island, expanding the initiative’s global reach.
Fazilette, who qualified as a marine electronic engineer at the former HMS Worcester (Merchant Navy College) in 1984, broke barriers by becoming one of the first female Radio Officers’ from an ethnic minority, in a male-dominated maritime industry. Her career has included working for several leading companies, including P&O Cruises, & Cunard. During that time, she witnessed first-hand the devastating impact of marine litter.
In recognition of her dedication to conserving the marine environment, Fazilette has previously been honoured with the Merchant Navy Medal for Services to the Marine Environment and the Points of Light Award from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Speaking about receiving the MBE, Fazilette said: “I am incredibly honoured and humbled to receive this recognition. My hope is that this inspires others to join us in protecting our beautiful blue planet.”
For more information on Fazilette Khan and GreenSeas Trust, please visit the website www.greenseas.org
