Nigel Linacre, co-founder, and chair of the Board of Trustees of the Chippenham-based water charity, WellBoring, was awarded the Order of the British Empire Medal by King Charles III in his inaugural Honours list.
Linacre, through his charity foundation, was acknowledged for providing access to clean water for more than 250,000 lives in the African Continent, primarily in Kenya.
International reports indicated that the foundation raised Ksh1.9 million in 2022 alone.
“This honour recognises the life-changing work of WellBoring. I’d like to thank everyone who has helped us change so many lives. Together we can do so much more," the philanthropist stated after the release of the list.
The awards celebrate over 1,100 people from different sectors who made an impact on their society, community or area of work.
These people range from politicians, artists, and actors to senior diplomats and sportspersons.
In 2022, the 65-year-old's foundation managed to bring safe water to over 300 poor rural primary schools.
A spokesperson for the organisation lauded the prestigious medal, noting that it highlighted the cause of the foundation and brought it to a global audience.
"This news concludes an incredible year for WellBoring. We can look to 2022 as the year we reached 300 wells, bringing clean, sustainable water sources to 300,000 people, and improving educational and economic outcomes throughout the areas they serve.
"Energised by this recognition and celebration, we look forward to more hard work and greater accomplishment in the year to come," he pointed out.
The spokesperson added that the company's goal was to create over 400 wells in a bid to provide access to 400,000 people.
“For 2023, our goal is to reach 400 wells created or restored. Each well provides clean water to an average of 1,000 beneficiaries, meaning 400,000 lives were enhanced.
“By increasing our scale and creating partnerships, we intend to reach 1,000 wells and a million lives benefited by 2025," he added.
