Birthday Honours 2021: Geoff Thomas an MBE for charity work after cancer fight

Geoff Thomas, said he was "very humbled" to receive the honour

A former England footballer has been appointed an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for his work raising money for cancer charities.

Geoff Thomas was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in 2003, a year after he retired from football.

Since recovering he has raised millions of pounds for charity and launched The Geoff Thomas Foundation.

Mr Thomas, from Redditch, Worcestershire, said he was "very humbled" to be honoured.

Former midfielder Geoff Thomas has nine caps for England and was a captain for Crystal Palace FC

When he was first diagnosed with leukaemia, the former Crystal Palace captain was given three months to live, but overcame the disease two years later after treatment and a stem cell transplant.

He said his honour was "even more" special because it was for his charity work.

"I am hoping that getting the recognition might elevate the work that we are doing," he said.

"There is still more to do.

"There are so many people to thank for helping me raise money...who have put on events.

"But I come back to thanking the wife in particular, she was a rock for me, at the time I was diagnosed we had a 10 and a seven-year-old, and she was a rock for me in my support and also keeping normality for kids at the same time."

Mr Thomas, who spent four seasons with Wolverhampton Wanderers, is currently preparing to take on the Tour de France route and his team are hoping to raise £1m for Cure Leukaemia.

Mr Thomas played a key role in fundraising for the Centre for Clinical Haematology in Birmingham

Other honours recipients from Herefordshire and Worcestershire include:

• Tonia Enderbury, 51, from Kidderminster, chair of the voluntary group Droitwich Spa and Rural Council for Voluntary Service, receives a BEM for services to the community in Droitwich Spa and district.

• Craig Browne, 28, from Droitwich, and vice chairman of Droitwich RFC who receives a BEM for services to charitable fundraising and volunteering during Covid-19.