SOUTH Essex is celebrating after charity bosses have been honoured with MBE awards.

Stuart Long, chief executive of the Achievement Through Football in Southend will be awarded with an MBE, for services to the community in the town.

The 48-year-old was taken aback when the email notifying him of his award.

He said: “I was really quite shocked.

“I’m really proud of myself.

“I thought it was a joke or a scam. It’s really quite exciting.

“But I couldn’t have done it without the team around me. They’ve been amazing.”

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The charity uses sport to ensure young people are treated fairly as they move into adult life.

Bosses say the work the charity does reduces anti-social behaviour in the areas they operate.

Achievement Through Football works with councils, clubs, housing associations, and schools, to deliver free sports coaching.

Programmes are delivered for youngsters aged 5 to 11 and 12 to 24.

John McKay, who runs the Helping Hands foodbank in the town, has been listed on the Queens Honours List for services to the community in Basildon.

Mr McKay, 72, thanked his wife Pam for “sticking with him through and through.” He said: “She keeps me going.

“It was all a bit of a shock when I got it through the email. It hasn’t quite sunk in yet.

“We’ve been through thick and thin together.

“If it wasn’t for Pam I couldn’t have done it. I wasn’t quite sure how to take it. We haven’t stopped since Covid hit.

The foodbank delivered 105,000 meals from March to December last year.

John launched the foodbank nine years ago, and has also volunteered with Basildon Council for 20 years.

The other new MBE's from south Essex, include Lyndsey Barrett, the founder of Sport for Confidence, for services to Disability Sport particularly during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Billericay, and Edwin Clarke from Essex Police, for services to Policing and the community in Leigh.