Couple who help sick children both appointed MBE

A husband and wife whose charity has helped more than a thousand children with life-limiting or life-threatening illnesses have both been appointed MBE.

It is 18 years since Jason O'Shea and his wife Gail, both 58, from Brentwood, in Essex, founded Wipe Away Those Tears.

Since then, the couple have raised more than £2m to provide children with specialised equipment and gifts.

"If you've been lucky in life, and both myself and Gail have been extremely lucky, we've got four amazing, healthy children... you have to put something back," Mr O'Shea said.

Mrs O'Shea said the charity aims to grant wishes for children in Essex who are seriously ill.

It has funded trips to Disneyland Paris and bought items including specialist pushchairs or car seats.

Mr O'Shea said he would never forget how the charity was able to help one child.

"We bought a special wheelchair... it enabled them to stand up," he said.

"It's like nothing I've ever seen before, this wheelchair cost in excess of £28,000... they weren't walking, they were still on wheels, but they got the motion of walking.

"To see that child's face when they were in control of their own movement was something very, very special," he said.

He said the charity had no overheads, so if a person donated £10 "the whole £10 goes to doing something great".

He added: "I think it's a really nice thing to just do random acts of kindness whenever you can, and if everyone had that mantra in them we'd be living in a much better way than we currently do."

Margaret Lines, 84, from Hatfield Heath, Essex, who is a trustee of the Alexia Wilson Trust, has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to the local community.

Mrs Lines ran the not-for-profit Hatfield Heath village playgroup for almost 30 years, helping nurture around one thousand children whilst providing opportunities for young mums to meet.

She was chair of the Harlow Playhouse Supporters and for the last 16 years has been involved with Razed Roof, an inclusive performing arts group for people with, and without, learning difficulties and disabilities.

"I have volunteered all my life. I come from Devon and although I came from a very poor family, my mum was always very involved in organising harvest suppers.

"I was an only child, so I always helped her out.

"I do not enjoy sitting reading a book or watching TV all the time, I enjoy being out and with other people and helping.

"I love it, I am proud of myself in a way," she said.

Mrs Lines said her late husband "did a lot more than I did".

Prof Peter Lines was chairman of a drama group, involved in the village hall, chairman of Razed Roof and a former pro-vice chancellor at the University of Hertfordshire.

"Volunteering was a help when he passed away, filling my time. I just kept doing what I was doing."

"My husband would be proud, he was always proud of anyone's achievements."

"I just couldn't believe it, lots of people deserve it more than me.

"I have kept it a secret, I haven't told anyone – that was hard. I didn't want to boast and I actually feel embarrassed by it.

"I must reemphasise that I couldn't do any of this without support from family and friends, you can't do voluntary work on your own."

Others from Essex on The King's New Year Honours List include:

• Paul Brickell, 67, from Stansted Mountfitchet, chair of Poplar HARCA, appointed MBE for services to regeneration
• Marcus Roberts, 64, from Colchester, board member of the Essex Recovery Foundation, appointed MBE for services to public safety and to the victims of addiction
• Philip Crummy, 78, from Colchester, former director at Colchester Archaeological Trust, appointed MBE for services to archaeology and heritage.
• Samantha Hamber, 50, from Basildon, developer of the Housing Advice, Resettlement and Prevention (HARP) service in London, appointed MBE for services to homeless people
• Gary Horne, 51, from Harwich, director of finance at Colchester Institute, appointed MBE for services to education
• Bolaji Sofoluwe, 46, from Colchester, co-founder of ETK group, appointed MBE for service to sustainable business growth, to female entrepreneurs and to international trade
• Bhaskar Dasgupta, 72, from Westcliff-on-Sea, founding president of PMRGCAuk, appointed MBE for services to people with giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica
• Joyce Giller, 90, from Westcliff-on-Sea, honorary treasurer of the Southend-on-Sea Society, appointed MBE for services to the community
• Nicola Bowdidge, 58, from Colchester, co-founder of The Tom Bowdidge Youth Cancer Foundation, appointed MBE for services to young people suffering with cancer.
• Richard Bowdidge, 57, from Colchester, co-founder of The Tom Bowdidge Youth Cancer Foundation, appointed MBE for services to young people suffering with cancer
• Benjamin Simpson, 47, from East Mersea, founder of Sea-Kit International, appointed MBE for services to the maritime industry
• Phillip Davis, 77, from Chigwell, founder of the Magical Taxi Tour Trip to Disneyland Paris, appointed MBE for charitable service to children with life-threatening illnesses
• Michael Davies, 74, from Rayleigh, creator of the Rayleigh Town Museum, awarded the BEM for services to heritage
• John Polley, 91, from Colchester, member of the Boxted Methodist Silver Band, awarded the BEM for services to the community
• Michael Keogh, 73, from Shenfield, Director of the Springfield Youth Club, awarded the BEM for services to young people
• Louise Barrett-Lees, 52, from Brentwood, founder of the Rehabilitation, Education Assessment Centre for Hippotherapy (REACH), awarded the BEM for services to disabled people

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