Hampshire charity CEO receives MBE award at Windsor Castle for services

Michael’s MBE award was first announced in the King’s Birthday 2023 Honours list last June, with the Honours system celebrating the people who go above and beyond to change the world around them for the better and seeking to reward those doing vital and extraordinary work across the country.

Operating a unique wish fulfilment model rooted in wellbeing, the MHF charity, which celebrates its 21st anniversary this year, organises and facilitates highly personalised interventions, called Muscle Dreams, for vulnerable children and young people (8–28yrs) across the UK living with the muscle wasting condition MD.

Delivering physiological and psychological benefits that improve emotional and mental wellness, the personalised programmes are designed to be restorative and uplifting – with beneficiaries being empowered via the realisation of their Muscle Dream.

From experiencing flight or being out on the open water to learning a new skill or interviewing a global movie icon, these transformational experiences are MHF’s tangible fulfilment device, delivering both immediate and long-term positive impacts to recipients and their families.

Speaking on receiving the award, Michael said: “When I heard the news last year, I was totally overwhelmed. Being at Windsor Castle nearly one year on with my loved ones meant the world. I was so happy that my 88-year-old mum was there to witness the moment when Princess Anne pinned the award on my chest. This recognition is for all those who have supported the Muscle Help Foundation charity’s journey along the way over the past 21 years.

“My heart also goes out to every single beneficiary, their often exhausted mums and dads, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties and all those who unconditionally and selflessly care for those living with this cruel and unforgiving condition that robs sufferers of their mobility, and finally for those with the most severe form, their lives. Right now, whilst care is at the forefront in a lot of people’s minds, in 2023 the charity lost nine of its Muscle Warrior beneficiaries – the average age was just 19 years old. This is the harsh reality of a condition that is currently incurable.”

He continued: “What the charity tries hard to do is change lives and give hope – our young people are the fuel that drives me to keep pushing on. It is such an enormous privilege to witness often the best day of a young person’s life, the joy on families faces and those precious smiles. Whilst much has been accomplished over the past 21 years, I must highlight the one person in my world who has also been a key part of the journey, my incredible wife Sue. Through her love and enduring support, her patience, deep understanding and affinity with so many of our families, she is truly my rock, together with an army of extraordinary volunteers. As MHF moves towards realising its 657 mission and as we look to a future rooted in more wellbeing initiatives designed to not only uplift and restore mental and emotional wellness but also fill a growing gap around the lack of respite, the need for our services will, I have no doubt, continue”.

The Hon Alexandra Shackleton, the only granddaughter of Sir Ernest Shackleton, the great Irish Polar Explorer, said: “My warmest congratulations to Michael. I have had the privilege of knowing him as his Patron and friend for many years. His achievements in reaching both the North and South Poles and his continuing work with the Muscle Help Foundation charity has been exemplary. I believe Michael’s qualities are best summed up by those listed by my grandfather Ernest Shackleton for a Polar Explorer, namely – Optimism, Patience, Imagination with Idealism and finally Courage”.

When TV Presenter, Lorraine Kelly CBE, an MHF Patron, heard the news in June last year about Michael’s MBE award, she said: “Michael is a superhero! He’s done the most incredible things and changed the lives of so many children with muscular dystrophy through the charity’s Muscle Dreams. I’m so pleased he is being honoured as he really deserves to be recognised for his achievement.”