A youth and outreach worker from Brighton is one of the youngest people to be included in the New Year Honours List.
Samson Rattigan, 28, from Friends, Families and Travellers, has been awarded a British Empire Medal for services to young people and families from the gypsy and traveller communities in Sussex.
Mr Rattigan, the son of an Irish traveller, started working for the charity as an intern while he was at Brighton University, becoming a youth co-ordinator after completing his degree.
He has spent more than four years with the national charity which is based in Brighton.
It works on behalf of gypsies and travellers regardless of their ethnicity, culture or background.
And it provides advice and consultancy, promotes health and wellbeing, works on research and policy and provides training.
Mr Rattigan’s work includes helping gypsies and travellers to find places in education and providing them with support, filling in forms with them, supporting them into work, advocacy and dealing with casework.
He also provides cultural awareness training to people working in public services such as Sussex Police.
