Royal stamp of approval for diamond volunteer Tony Bradwell

AN AWARD-WINNING volunteer will meet Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall after being crowned a Diamond Champion.

Tony Bradwell, 74, from Grimsby – who won the Grimsby Telegraph Volunteer Award for sport and recreation in January – has dedicated his life to the members of Foresight, where he has been a friend, a guide and a role model.

Winner: Mr Bradwell, third left, receives his Diamond Champions pin at a ceremony in York. He is pictured with, from left, Sue Collins, head of WRVS for the North West, Yorkshire and Humber, Christine Harris, Deputy HM Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, and Lord Crathorne, HM Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire.
Special honour: Mr Bradwell carrying the Olympic Torch through Immingham.

Earlier in the year, he was nominated in the Diamond Champions initiative from the WRVS, which wanted to give recognition to volunteers aged over 60 nationwide.

The charity joined forces with the Grimsby Telegraph to run it, and now Mr Bradwell has been chosen as one of ten from the North West and Yorkshire and Humber to meet Prince Charles and Camilla.

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Overall, more than 480 volunteers – 60 from eight regions – were shortlisted and presented with a specially-designed Diamond Champions pin.

Mr Bradwell was chosen by a panel to join 69 others from around the UK at St James's Palace at a star-studded celebration in November.

He carried the Olympic Torch when it passed through Immingham, and has been a widower for 11 years after his wife, Lilian, died from breast cancer.

He said: "Foresight is like my family and I just love helping out.

"My main tasks are teaching shooting and archery, but I also transport people about and help out in the offices.

"To be nominated for an award like this is brilliant but to get to the final ten is just outstanding. It's an honour to be invited to meet Charles and Camilla but really it's Foresight that should be rewarded, I wouldn't be able to do any of this without them."

Mr Bradwell, who has already enjoyed tea with the Queen as a result of his tireless volunteering, now has his sights set on meeting Prince William and Prince Harry.

He added: "I've met the Queen, Prince Phillip and Princess Anne already, so the two princes are next on my list!"

The initiative was set up to coincide with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, and thousands of entries were received.

The Duke and the Duchess of Cornwall are joint patrons of the initiative.

In the statement about why Mr Bradwell was chosen, it read: "The time Tony gives to Foresight not only benefits the charity in time and energy but also financially."