Jeffrey Long: Awarded the MBE for services to charity

MBE for marathon walker Jeffrey Long

Jeffrey Long, the former President of the Federation of Swiss Societies in the UK, has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire. The award, announced in the New Year's Honours List, has been made in recognition of his long standing charitable work on behalf of the Royal British Legion.

Jeffrey, a Yorkshireman whose ancestors came from Shaffhausen, was president of FOSSUK for 17 years. Before that he had also spent 17 years as President of the Yorkshire Swiss Club.

Last year he was made a Swiss citizen, in appreciation of his many years working for the Swiss community in Britain.

Jeffrey achieved fame three years ago when, carrying a heavy backpack, he walked the thousand kilometres between London and Lausanne – again to raise funds for the Royal British Legion. A stickler for perfection, he turned down many offers from passing motorists to give him a lift, and even insisted on continually pacing the deck when he took the cross-Channel ferry from Dover to Calais.

Even at the age of 78 Jeffrey just can't stop walking. This Easter he plans to walk 127.5 miles alongside the canal from Liverpool to Leeds, to raise money for the Little Heroes Cancer Trust
which supports children in the cancer ward of St James hospital in Leeds, one of Britain's leading cancer treatment centres.

He has also promised to boost the Unione Ticinese PJ Youth Fund, set up in remembrance of the late Peter Jacomelli, who would have been 93 this year. He will be walking 93 miles from Peter's birthplace to the Swiss Embassy, en route visiting places and people who were associated with the great Ticinese restaurateur during his lifetime.

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