TIRELESS fundraiser and champion of village cricket Ed Davies has been awarded a BEM in the New Year Honours' list.

The semi-retired vet, who was one of the founders of Bishops Cannings Cricket Club, has raised more than £200,000 for club funds and countless charities since moving to Wiltshire in 1984.

Mr Davies, 65, of Church Walk, Bishops Cannings, who is married with a grown- up son and daughter, shared the news of his honour only with his teacher wife Gill when he received a letter before Christmas.

Club chairman Mr Davies said: “It is always nice to be told you have done well at something, but to be honest I was a bit embarrassed.

“There are lots of other people who are involved in the cricket club and have helped with the fundraising.”

Mr Davies first became well known as a charity fundraiser in Devizes when he was a member of the town’s Round Table and organised a popular quiz.

But after the club was started in 1988 his involvement in fundraising and promoting Bishops Cannings Cricket Club took off.

This year will be the 25th running of the sportsman’s dinner he organises as the club’s own main fundraiser.

He said: “The sportsman’s dinner has found a bit of a niche in the market and now makes about £9,000 in profit each year, which pays for the upkeep of the club.”

On May 27 former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan will be the speaker at Dauntsey’s School.

But Mr Davies said he gets the most pleasure out of seeing cricketers who started playing the game in the junior section of Bishops Cannings Cricket Club still enjoying the sport.

He said: “It is fantastic that we have had 32 boys playing county cricket and Tom Alsop playing for England, but I get huge pleasure when we go to other clubs in Wiltshire and still see our lads turning out for teams. That is really what it is all about for me.”