Frank Charles

Frank is an inspiration to young people. Having survived a life threatening illness in childhood, he has spent his adult life devoted to helping those less fortunate than himself. In 2007 he won `National Outstanding Public Servant of the Year' out of 4m public sector workers in the UK. This was awarded mainly for his work coaching football on some of the hardest and most violent estates in east London. He broke down the postcode barriers and was told by the Metropolitan Police that the crime in many of the areas where he coached had greatly declined as a result of the discipline he insisted on during his coaching sessions. He is also a boxing coach and Voluntary Reading Support worker in primary schools. Sadly last year Frank was diagnosed with incurable cancer. He has undergone six months of chemo therapy and is currently in remission but his greatest wish is to be a part of the Olympic dream when it comes to London in 2012.