An Oscar nominated actress, a gynaecologist, guide leader and sheltered housing manager are among those to have received New Year's Honours announced today.

Actress Emily Watson, 47, from Greenwich enjoyed instant success with her first major film role, Breaking The Waves, which saw her nominated for the best actress Oscar, but says her real big break was joining the Royal Shakespeare Company years before.

Describing the moment she discovered she had been nominated for an OBE, she said: "I was quietly smiling to myself all day when I heard. Telling my dad was the best bit. Honoured and delighted. And slightly weirded out that someone somewhere in Whitehall has been watching my work. Guess it means I'm really a grown up. Damn."

Watson's career has taken in Hollywood success - she got her second best-actress Oscar nod for Hilary and Jackie where she played cellist Jacqueline du Pre and picked up the instrument herself to make the portrayal even more convincing.

Also receiving an OBE is Blackheath's Peter Holbrook, who is chief executive of Social Enterprise UK, and Professor Peter Braude from Sydenham, a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology nominated for his work on reproductive medicine.

And there is an MBE for Dartford's Irene Beschizza for her services to guiding in Hither Green, Bexley and Sidcup.

Elsewhere, Paul Howard from the Minnie Bennett Sheltered Accommodation Home in Shooters Hill, has been nominated as a Medallist of the Order of the British Empire.

Fifty seven-year-old Mr Howard has been working at Minnie Bennett for the past 25 years, in a role he initially thought would be a stop gap, but says he has stayed there for so long because “the tenants in my building are one in a million. We couldn’t get any better.”

Born and bred in Lambeth, Mr Howard started working for their council library service when he left school at 16 and “has never looked back”.

Mr Howard has been living in Greenwich since he started working for the home and said it has "a family atmosphere. Everyone is treated exactly the same”.

The day he received the letter that told him he had been nominated, Mr Howard was surprised: “Tears were going, hankies were coming out. I didn’t know that my family and I were liked by so many people.”

He is joined in that honour by Smarta business support founder Shaa Wasmund from Blackheath and Catford's Christian Aid trustee Paul Shanthakumar.

Meanwhile, former Blackheath High School student Mary Quant, who is widely credited with popularising the mini skirt, has spoken of her delight at being made a Dame.

The 80-year-old designer is given the honour for services to British fashion in the Queen's New Year list.

She said: "I am absolutely delighted to have been awarded this terrific honour. It is extremely gratifying that my work in the fashion industry has been recognised and acknowledged in such a significant way."