THE founder of an Oxford disability charity told of his shock at being honoured with an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Volunteer Richard West, from Blackbird Leys, received the award for services to the arts and disabled people.

The achievements of people across Oxfordshire were celebrated in the list to mark the Queen’s official birthday on June 15.

The 48-year-old is a founder and trustee of learning disability charity My Life My Choice in Park End Street.

The charity helps people cope with disabilities.

Mr West is deaf and has a learning disability himself.

He said: “I feel honoured to have been given this award, which means so much to me and the work I do to help improve the lives of people with learning disabilities.

“It came as a huge shock and surprise.

“There is still so much that needs to be done and I hope my work to empower people with learning disabilities will be recognised and help lead to increased support for those who need it most all over the world.”

Mr West was instrumental in setting up Oxfordshire’s first nightclub for people with learning disabilities, Sting-ray.

The monthly event at The Jam Factory in Park End Street has been running for seven years.

Dawn Wiltshire, chair of trustees at My Life My Choice said: “Richard continues to be an inspiration to all of us at My Life My Choice. His work has been immense.

“He has made a real difference through his work to improve the services and facilities for people with learning disabilities in Oxfordshire.

“Congratulations to a top bloke.”

Mr West also helped set up the National Forum of People with Learning Disabilities, was involved in the disabled arts programme for the London 2012 Olympics and chaired the Department of Health’s National Advisory Group on Learning Disability and Ethnicity. He worked with accessible information prov-ider Inspired Services on some of these projects.

Andrew Holman, managing director of Inspired Services, said: “It would be difficult to think of anyone who has worked as hard or achieved as much for people with learning disabilities as Richard.”

Mr West will head to Buckingham Palace next month to pick up his award.

His name was not initially released when the list of Oxfordshire people who had received honours was revealed earlier this month.

MY LIFE MY CHOICE

My Life My Choice is an Oxford-based charity that helps people with learning difficulties in the county take control of their own lives.

It works to make sure their needs are taken seriously by medical professionals and helps them make a positive contribution to their community.

The charity, based at the Jam Factory in Park End Street, funds a nightclub for teenagers and adults – the only one of its kind in the country.

It has also organised anti-bullying campaigns in the past.

In 2010, My Life My Choice won

The Guardian Charity of the Year Award and in 2011 was shortlisted for The Times Charity of the Year Award.