OBE for Everton volunteer (From This Is Lancashire)

OBE for Everton volunteer

10:10pm Tuesday 13th November 2007 in

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"IT is a lovely medal but the band is red and I'd have preferred it to be in a nice Everton blue!"

So said the newly-titled Mark Wilson OBE, who was awarded the prestigious medal because of his work with disabled Everton supporters.

"It was also because of the work we've done around pre-recruitment programmes to help people who haven't worked for a long time," said Mark, who works for Job Centre Plus.

"It is that type of work, particularly for people with disabilities or who may have been on incapacity benefit, which is so beneficial," he said.

His team's courses are often linked to work places so people take a test run in a workplace before applying for jobs, he said.

"More than 55 per cent of all work trials result in that person staying with the employer," said Mark.

His work with Everton Disabled Supporters Association has helped bring football into the community while working with the club.

The Prince of Wales presented Mark with his medal on November 2.

"He was excellent. He gave us all the same amount of time and was really very interested in why we were there," he said.

"He gave a very warm presentation that made us all feel very valued," said Mark.

"It was a smashing experience," he said.

"The Job Centre team work really hard and this is their award as much as mine," he said.