A FUNDRAISER born and raised in Colchester has received a prestigious award for his work supporting his community. 

British Citizen Award awarded 29 individuals around the UK for their exceptional endeavours, which have positively impacted communities up and down the country.

Among the honoured was Gary Neill,  a funeral director, who received the BCA for Services to Volunteering and Charitable Giving.

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Gary was presented with his Medal of Honour by Katie Procter, Head of Supported Housing from Founding Sponsors, Places for People and TV presenter and Patron of the BCA, Nick Knowles, who hosted the event.

Through charity golf days and black-tie fundraising balls, Gary has raised over £1million for St Clare Hospice, in Harlow.

He has also raised money for Farleigh Hospice and Isabel Hospice.

Gary has also supported clubs in the community, including bowls and football, and over the years, he has raised more than £200,000 for various projects through many charity golf days.

More recently, funds from the golf days have been used to help six local children with cerebral palsy; these events alone have raised over £550,000.

Following the formal presentations, the medalists and their families boarded an open-top bus for the Lap of Honour Tour courtesy of Big Bus London.

After taking in some of the capital's iconic sights, they disembarked at Church House in Westminster for a Certificate of Honour presentation.

The British Citizen Award was established in 2015 to recognise exceptional individuals who work tirelessly and selflessly to impact their communities and society positively.

The BCA recognises true community heroes who would otherwise likely be overlooked.

Dubbed The People’s Honours, the BCA has recognised over 450 exceptional individuals for their divergent endeavours, making them a very exclusive group of the nation’s favourites.

Anyone with an MBE, OBE or Knighthood is ineligible for a BCA having already been deemed to have received recognition, however, anyone receiving the BCA can still be nominated for the other honours.

Nominations can be made a www.britishcitizenawards.co.uk