It is a long way from a Lincolnshire children's home to the steps of Buckingham Palace, but that is a journey that the Revd Mark Edwards former Student of Moorlands College (84-86) will be making after being awarded the MBE in this year's New Year's Honours list. The Revd Edwards is currently Vicar of St. Matthew's Dinnington and St. Cuthbert's Brunswick in the Diocese of Newcastle and part-time Police Chaplain based at Northumbria Police HQ.

His award is for services to the community of Barrow-in-Furness and beyond, where he served for 13 years in 2 deprived parishes. Mark was also on the crew and later became an Officer of the local independent inshore Lifeboat Rescue Service as well as spending a time as Chaplin to the RNLI and working in partnership with Cumbria Police.

His assistance to Barrow police in significantly reducing crime and disorder in his community earned him the Chief Superintendents Certificate of Merit, from area command ( An award that is not normally given to civilians). He also received a Gold Police Chaplains Shield similar to the police badges in USA, as well as being made an Honorary Officer with Cumbria Police. Mark left Barrow-in Furness in August 2008 to move to the Northeast.

His life's journey is a facinating story. The product of a broken home, he spent the majority of his childhood in the care of Lincolnshire Social Services after being abandoned by his parents. For more on this story and his publications, please follow this link.