New Years Honours 2023: Fiona Spargo-Mabbs made OBE

Fiona Spargo-Mabbs said it was amazing to have her son's name mentioned in the New Year's Honours list

The mother of a 16-year-old boy, who died after taking ecstasy, has said it is a huge honour to be awarded an OBE for her efforts to help young people make safe choices about drugs.

Fiona Spargo-Mabbs set up the Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation after he took a lethal amount of MDMA at a London rave.

Speaking to BBC News, she said it was "amazing" to have Dan's name mentioned in the New Year's Honours list.

She hopes the honour will help the charity reach more young people.

The mother, from Croydon and who received the honour for services to young people, said: "It was a big turmoil of emotions - these things are incredibly bitter sweet.

"But it's a huge honour and I just really hope having that as a foundation will open up so many more doors and create so many opportunities for us to reach more young people and families.

"And what's the most amazing about it is Dan has got his name in the New Year's Honours list because I always knew he would do something amazing in the world, and he has."

Fiona said love for her son Dan has driven the foundation set up in his name

In January 2014, Dan persuaded his mother to let him go to a party with friends. Instead Dan went to an illegal rave in Hillingdon where he took MDMA, also known as ecstasy.

But he died after taking a dose 12-time stronger than doses which had caused deaths in the past.

His death spurred Mrs Spargo-Mabbs and her husband Tim to set up a foundation in his name to stop other young people coming to harm from drugs and alcohol.

• Parents' warning over ecstasy

• How social media is being used to sell drugs

The foundation gives drug and alcohol education workshops to students in schools and colleges, and provides resources for teachers.

Mrs Spargo-Mabbs, now a leading UK drug education expert, explained: "It's [the foundation] been a real community piece of work, and it's happened because we've been surrounded by so many good committed people.

"And it's come very much from our love for Dan that's driven the whole thing and probably always will."

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