A FORMER Basingstoke college student and TV presenter has been recognised for her work with burns victims in the New Year’s Honours list.

Katie Piper, who was badly injured in an acid attack in 2008, has been appointed an OBE for her work with others who have also suffered burns.

The 38-year-old grew up in Andover and attended Basingstoke College of Technology where she was a beauty therapy student with dreams of becoming a television presenter.

However, her life was shattered when she was the victim of a rape and acid attack which left her with severe burns and scars.

In 2009, Katie took the brave decision to give up her anonymity and share her story on Channel 4, in a documentary for Cutting Edge called Katie: My Beautiful Face.

In July 2010, Katie set up The Katie Piper Foundation, a registered charity which aims to make it easier for people to live with burns and scars and helps disfigured people reconnect with their lives.

It is this work which the mum-of-two has been recognised for in the New Year’s Honours list.

Posting on Instagram she said: “This is without a doubt one of the happiest days of my life. I am so honoured to be recognised on the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list for Services to Charity and Burns Survivors.

“My charity KP Foundation has been my life’s work. It’s now into its second decade and I’m very proud to say we’ve actively assisted and rehabilitated thousands of burns survivors with both their physical and mental recovery.”

She added: “The reality is – this was all born out of being touched by evil, trauma and darkness. That said, I was deeply inspired and had a fierce determination to change things for the future and make a more positive impact on the world.”

Katie thanked her team at the charity for their support and hard work.

Also recognised on the list published yesterday was a matron in the emergency department at Basingstoke hospital.

Julie-Anne Fulford has been honoured with the Associate Royal Red Cross in the 2022 New Year’s Honours list.

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) congratulated “our very own Jules” posting on its Twitter account this morning.

The mother-of-two was given the honour for her work at Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps.

She worked in the military for 15 years up until March this year.