NIGEL Morgan described being “humbled” to receive a British Empire Medal in the New Year’s Honours.
The citation for the 71-year-old from Stalybridge stated it was ‘for services to the community in Tameside’.
Nigel said he will receive the award of behalf of the team at Tameside Citizens Advice where he is joint CEO and where he has been involved for 30 years.
“The BEM is for what we do as a team at Tameside CAB and not just me. I will receive it on behalf of them and for all the help I get,” he said.
“It is quite humbling to receive the award as there are so many other deserving people in Tameside, the likes of Derrick Evans who formed Cancer Warriors.”
It has been quite a journey for Nigel who began as a volunteer after retiring at the age of 40 on health grounds – he had been in management at James North and Great Universal Stores.
“After only three days my wife Jean told me I was getting under her feet and she found me the job as a volunteer at Tameside CAB,” he explained.
The work evolved into a part volunteer, part paid role and deputy manager before he was appointed joint CEO with Susan Riley in 2005.
Nigel added Tameside CAB has evolved greatly in the last three decades.
He said: “The service has developed and there has been a great increase in demand for advice.
“Thirty years ago, it was called ‘twin set of pearls’ when often it was retired ladies giving general advice.
“It has moved on and we are able to offer a lot more specialist advice. We are also able to give out more by email which didn’t exist 30 years ago.
“The number of clients has increased massively and so has the administration and getting funds remains a challenge.”
Nigel has also provided advice session each Friday in Hattersley for the last 27 years with sessions at The Hub until Covid-19 intervened. He is also a trustee of Hattersley Community Forum.
Tameside CAB has a team of about 35 volunteers and paid staff and an annual turnover of about £500,000.
“We get a core grant from Tameside Council and that enables us to bid for other funding which remains a challenge each year,” he said.
Nigel added Covid-19 has also presented its challenges with it being especially difficult to train volunteers remotely.
When Nigel first heard he had received the award, he initially thought it was a wind-up, something some of his friends are renowned for.
But when he looked at the communications from the Cabinet Office, he realised it was real.
Nigel, who lives in the Woodlands area of the town, is Stalybridge born and bred, having attended St Paul’s Primary before attending boarding school in Hertfordshire. He has one daughter, Kay.