A MAN walks into a bar and comes out with an honour may sound like a joke but that is what happened to Vincent Thompson.
For that is exactly how the Hyde man found out he had received a British Empire Medal (BEM).
The 66-year-old has earned Royal recognition for his work serving and helping the community in Greater Manchester, largely through running a food hub at non-league football club FC United of Manchester.
That has seen him help hundreds of families in Tameside and the surrounding area, where the club is based, both before and during the Covid-19 pandemic.
And few people were as surprised as him when he found out he was being recognised.
Vincent, known as Vinny, said: “I was actually walking into a pub when my phone went and this very posh voice said, ‘Is that Vincent Thompson?’
“I said yes but I thought she was trying to sell me something. Then she said. ‘We’ve been trying to e-mail you, we’re from the Cabinet Office.’
“She then said, ‘Someone’s nominated you and the Prime Minister has approved you for a BEM.’
I said to my mate, ‘Just give me a minute, get me a pint and I’ll be back inside.’
“So I went outside and asked me would I accept it over the phone as they were almost out of time to do it?
“I was very flattered but it was a massive surprise.”
Vincent admits he has done just about everything at FC United, which is based at Broadhurst Park in Manchester’s Moston area.
But it is his work at the food hub which gives him most satisfaction as he added: “It’s been immensely rewarding.
“I’ve always done community work like anti-racism, youth engagement, homelessness, domestic violence. We open the ground up on Christmas Day to people who are homeless through domestic violence, mainly women and young men, and their families.
“And seeing the help we give people is definitely more rewarding to me than getting the BEM itself. Even during the pandemic, we got nine people who’d previously been long-term unemployed into work just through the contact with them.
“It’s been an honour to have done what we’ve done because it’s given people a focus – not just those who’ve received help but those delivering the parcels and putting them together.
“It’s been great but there’s still a need.”
Vincent calls Tameside’s own homeless campaigner Pauline Town his sister, even though they are not related, because they are on the same wavelength.
He has also helped her out with her work, which earned her an MBE, through the food hub.
“It’s been really good,” he told The Correspondent. “At first, the food hub had a bit of a scattergun approach but then we narrowed down its focus to north Manchester, Tameside, Gorton and Clayton, because that’s where the football club is situated.
“We’ve helped other groups as well as Pauline’s – she’s a headcase really but so am I, so we’re good company.
“Seriously, though, Pauline’s a good, good woman.”