British Citizen Award: Yorkshire and Lincolnshire trio win accolade

John Burkhill, known as 'The Pram Man', will collect a British Citizen Award from the Palace of Westminster

A Sheffield pensioner raising £1m for a cancer charity, a Bradford community leader tackling racism and the founder of Lincolnshire Wildlife Park are being honoured for their work later.

The trio will join 26 others collecting the British Citizen Award (BCA) in London.

John Burkhill, 84, who collects money for Macmillan Cancer Support, said: "It's a great honour."

The BCAs are dubbed The People's Honours.

Wearing his trademark green wig and pushing a pram, Mr Burkhill has taken part in more than 1,000 races to raise funds for the national cancer charity.

To date, he has raised more than £900,000 - and is confident of hitting his £1m milestone this year.

Mr Burkhill said of his award for services to volunteering and charitable giving: "I can't believe it. It's a real honour."

The British Citizen Award will be presented to 29 community champions at the Palace of Westminster

He has dedicated his fundraising to the memory of his wife June who died 30 years ago.

Mr Burkhill joked: "Unfortunately, I won't be able to take my pram down (to London). I'm going to take my wig, though - nobody will know me unless I put it on."

What is the British Citizen Award?

The British Citizen Award - now in its ninth year - recognises "exceptional individuals who positively impact their communities throughout the country".

All recipients will be featured on The British Citizen Award Roll of Honour and are invited to use the acronym BCA after their names.

Anyone made an MBE or who has received an OBE or KBE is ineligible for the award.

TV presenter and BCA patron, Nick Knowles, is hosting this year's presentation.

(Source: British Citizen Awards)

Also collecting a BCA will be Humayun Islam.

According to BCA organisers, Mr Islam has been "pivotal to positive change" in Bradford.

He has planned and arranged events, including 'Believing in Bradford', helping improve community cohesion.

Mr Islam has also been praised for establishing Bangla Bantams, a multicultural supporters' group that encourages people from all backgrounds to attend Bradford City matches.

'Humbling'

Meanwhile, Steve Nichols, who runs Lincolnshire Wildlife Park, said his team can take much of the credit for his BCA.

He said: "It's quite humbling. I'm feeling really pleased and really honoured. It's an unusual feeling. There are a lot of us doing this job, I have a really big and a really good team. I'm just the steer head and I'm getting it for everyone else."