Chris O’Dell of the Bedford Junior Blues Community Rugby Club, Bedford has been awarded the Order of Mercy, a prestigious medal for his voluntary service over many years.
Starting off as a coach for the Junior Blues to support his son, Chris has continued to volunteer at the Bedford Blues Junior section as a junior’s coach, Committee member and head coach for the Colts section.
His love for the sport has seen him help out at the local rugby club for over 10 years despite his son having completed the junior section of the Bedford Blues club.
The awards ceremony took place, by permission of the Lord Mayor, at The Mansion House, in the City of London on 12 July in the presence of HRH Princess Katerina of Yugoslavia and many other distinguished guests.
The League of Mercy was created in 1899 for the encouragement and recognition of voluntary work in hospitals and the community.
Bedford Junior Blues chairman, Kevin Breeze said: “It’s immense what he has done. He has ensured a pathway for players from juniors right up to adult rugby with him setting up the Colts”
Bedford Junior Blues sees boys and girls combined up to U12s and then separate U13s to U18s teams for boys and girls. While the Colts is the section for male U17s and U18s before they leave the Blues junior section and move up to adult rugby.
The Rt Hon the Lord Lingfield, president of the League of Mercy said: “Mr O’Dell is a marvellous example of someone whose longstanding and voluntary dedication to the service and welfare of others is noteworthy and remarkable and we were delighted to be able to make this well-deserved award to him.”
The award was refounded as a nationwide registered charity in 1999 and now continues the work of the original founder, the then Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII.
