5 Walsall Residents Honoured With British Empire Medal

Due to their incredible achievements helping the local community, five Walsall residents are due to receive a British Empire Medal at a special award ceremony this week.

community awards

Present by West Midlands Lord Lieutenant, John Crabtree, the event will take place at the University of Birmingham on 15 September, where the following people will be recognised for their community spirit and hard work.

Note: One person wishes to remain anonymous.

Karen Eccleston

Karen runs a soup kitchen for homeless people in Darlaston and has been serving the community around the clock since 2012.

Francis Hodgkinson

Founder of the Brownhills Community Association, Francis has spent 40 years helping to make the association a success and has established a community theatre and community activity groups.

Gilbert Preece

As a former scout leader, Gilbert rose through the ranks to became an Assistant Direct Commissioner and Duke of Edingburgh Accessror for the scout association. In recent years, he does volunteer work, while raising money for the Beacon Centre for the Blind.

Balbir Seimar

Balbir has spent more than 30 years volunteering, focusing on regucing homelessness and crime and raising awareness of the environment. She is now partially retired but still spends her time distributing food to the vulnerable, supporting charities and delivering shopping and medicine for those in need.

Councillor Garry Perry, Deputy Leader, Resilient Communities, Walsall Council said,

“It is amazing to hear that our very own local residents will be recognised with this honour and hope that they enjoy the day and celebrations. These people have actively contributed to their community by helping others and making their communities more resilient, especially during some really tough times with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“From helping the homeless and supporting in our community associations to cleaning-up their local area and encouraging our young people with their achievements, these people have gone to extraordinary lengths to become a valued part of their community.

“I applaud their generosity and kindness of spirit and thank them with all my heart for everything that they have done for Walsall.

“There are so many people in the community doing great things so why not take the opportunity to nominate them for an award*.”

To nominate someone who you think deserves an award, head to: https://www.gov.uk/honours/types-of-honours-and-awards