A bus driver who trekked more than 250 miles to help others has said he felt “overwhelmed” as he was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the New Year Honours.
Neil Atherton, 43, from Widnes, is receiving the BEM for services to “public transport and the community in Liverpool and Widnes” during the Covid-19 pandemic, and told the ECHO on Friday he still wasn’t sure “it’s real”. The honour followed Neil’s efforts to help others, both by fundraising for those affected by economic hardship and by supporting mobile vaccination.
On both fronts, big-hearted Neil put his fun spirit, generosity and endurance to use, completing two epic charity challenges since 2020. On his week off in autumn 2020, instead of putting his feet up, Arriva’s former national “ultimate champion” driver laced up his boots to walk seven bus routes in seven days, completing 150 miles in all - equivalent to trekking from Liverpool One to Luton.
