Southend Lifeboat stalwart Jim Mackie among those handed New Year Honours

Jim Mackie has been recognised for his fundraising work for Southend Lifeboat

A man who helped raise more than £1m for a lifeboat station has said he was "amazed" to be awarded an MBE.

Jim Mackie, 76, who recently stepped down as chairman of Southend Lifeboat Management Group, has been recognised in the New Year Honours list.

He joined the RNLI station as a volunteer 45 years ago, initially hosting visits and giving talks.

"For all those years I have been very proud and privileged in the work I have done for them," said Mr Mackie.

"My wife Janet has given me her full support, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to do it."

RNLI Southend is one of the country's busiest sites of its kind and operates four lifeboats and two stations

He has received the award for his services to the RNLI and charity.

Mr Mackie was one of a group of people who helped to spearhead efforts to raise more than £1m for Southend's inshore lifeboat station, which opened in 2013.

He was told of the award while on holiday in Lisbon and said he questioned whether a call from the Cabinet Office offering him congratulations was real at first.

He said the appointment as Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) was an honour for "not just for me, but the station", which is one of the country's busiest.

Mr Mackie, who has been married for 41 years and has two children, three grandchildren and a great-grandson, said he could not wait to tell his family on New Year's Day.

"I'm absolutely delighted," he said.

"I've been thinking about it and getting worked up... but I've been told, 'No, you've got to wait'."

Other people in Essex chosen for the New Year Honours included:

• Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington, awarded the Queen's Police Medal

• Det Ch Insp Daniel Stoten, who led the inquiry into the deaths of 39 migrants found in a lorry, receives the Queen's Police Medal

• Ashley Banjo, 33, from Bicknacre, appointed MBE for services to dance and entertainment

• Roger McFarland, 69, of Chelmsford, MBE for his community work, particularly for the YMCA and as a lay minister in the city

• Nicholas Rouse, 74, of Ridgewell, MBE for his services to the local community and parish council work

• Sushma Bhanot, 58, of Chigwell, MBE for services to wellbeing and the community, particularly during Covid

• Dennis Barnett, 61, of Colchester, MBE for his service to vulnerable people in Essex through his work on the SOS bus and a women's refuge

• Mitesh Sheth, 43, of Loughton, MBE for services to diversity and inclusion in the financial services sector due to his work as chief executive at firm Redington

• Laura Thurlow, 37, of Leigh-on-Sea, awarded a BEM for services to the community in Surrey, particularly during Covid

• Michael King, 58, of Bradwell-on-Sea, BEM for services to the Ethiopia Hope charity

• Dawn Wood, 45, of Burnham-on Crouch, BEM for services to marine policing and conservation

• Anne Wilson, 72, of Great Leighs, BEM for services to the local community

• Donald Edgar Smith, 65, of Frinton-on-Sea, BEM for services to his town, particularly during the pandemic