Stephen Bates from the Cabinet Office tells us more about why Neil was nominated for a British Empire Medal. Ed
Neil has served as a retained firefighter with the Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service for over 34 years.
He is also a longshoreman on Shanklin Beach and in this role has provided first aid training, beach cleaning and safety services as part of a family commitment to residents and tourists alike in Shanklin.
Valued mentor
As a retained firefighter, he has diligently served the local and wider community and has acted as a mentor to many young firefighters who have benefited from his experience.
He gives of his time generously and is unstinting in his drive to improve the local community and to actively promote the role of the community citizen.
Devoted to local community
His devotion to the local community has more recently seen him take on the volunteer role as a caretaker of community amenities in Shanklin including the maintenance of local public conveniences to ensure their availability to local communities and residents. He has over many years led a range of charitable events for a range of both local and national charities.
It was in recognition for his devotion to local civic duty that he was recently awarded the Isle of Wight Emergency Services Person of the Year and the overall Local Hero 2011.
