Two determined women who have dedicated their lives to helping others fulfil their potential have been awarded OBEs in the Queen's birthday honours list.

Slough diversity champion Dr Kamel Hothi is head of responsible business special projects for Lloyds Banking Group.

Doctor Hothi migrated to Slough at the age of six from India, attending Montem Primary and Westgate Secondary schools.

She began her career at TSB, rising to be area manager for Thames Valley covering 160 branches.

Working in London after the merger of TSB and Lloyds Bank she was shocked by the lack of diversity in the City, becoming the architect behind the Asian Strategy across Lloyds Banking Group which led to sponsorships of over 30 national events including the Asian Women of Achievement Awards.

She lives in a traditional extended family with her mother in law, husband Sawaron - a successful businessman - their two sons and daughters-in-law.

Doctor Hothi said: “I am truly humbled to be honoured in such a profound way but feel this recognition is for my parents who survived the partition of India and Pakistan – the biggest migration of refugees and brought us here to the UK to build a better life."

Her father would not let her go into higher education and arranged her marriage at 19. But she said: "It was these experiences that have driven me to improve and create a level playing field for all concerned. I just wished my parents were alive today to witness me receiving my OBE from the Queen so to prove that hard work is recognised regardless of your background.”

Also honoured with an OBE is Katharine Horler, who lives in Windsor and is chief executive of Adviza and chairman of Careers England.

Adviza is a charity that works with more than 50,000 young people and adults across the region each year, helping them find good jobs.

Steve Stewart, executive director for Careers England remembers how Mrs Horler found work for a young woman who was quadriplegic, saying: “She did it through pure perseverance and by not letting people off the hook. Katharine does the right things and she doesn’t give in.”

Mrs Horler, who is married with two children said: “We have done a lot of difficult things in a positive way and I am proud of how we enable, facilitate and build people up.”