Birthday Honours 2020: MBE for Hillsborough trauma specialist

Dr Derek Farrell said there were parallels between survivors of the Hillsborough and Grenfell Tower disasters

A trauma psychologist who has helped survivors of the Hillsborough and Grenfell Tower disasters has been awarded an MBE.

Dr Derek Farrell, 57, from Bridgnorth, Shropshire, has also worked with people abused as children by clergy members.

He gives free counselling to those in psychological distress across the world, and has worked in war zones and areas hit by natural disasters.

The honour had "come out of the blue" he said.

A University of Worcester academic, he first started working with Hillsborough survivors in 1989 "and they're still coming forward 30 years on," he said.

"Some have never sought help."

"It's like people think they need to bear the scar of the event because they don't want to forget it - like it's their duty and their responsibility," he said.

'Silent survivors'

There were "very interesting" parallels with the Grenfell Tower disaster, he said.

He has treated members of the emergency services who attended the scene, some of whose stories "often get lost."

"They both have similar narratives of almost silent survivors - it's a concern we could see people in 30 years' time with issues that have never been resolved."

Traumatised Hillsborough survivors are still coming forward after 30 years.

His work abroad includes providing clinical training in Turkey, India, Pakistan and Iraq.

"Being in India in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami or Pakistan after the earthquake or the Turkish earthquake - it's very hard to describe the sheer level of the devastation that you see," he said.

After being awarded the MBE, he said: "I'm very, very overwhelmed to have been honoured.

"I'm also grateful for the help and support during the amazing experiences I've had over the years."

"Honestly, I thought these things don't happen to people like me."