Lady Julia Walport was honoured with a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the King's New Year Honours List, for her services to Young People and to Charity in Ealing.

Walport is a Patron of The Amber Trust, previously a Trustee from 2013 and Chair between 2014 and 2022, overseeing a period of considerable expansion.

Before working with Amber, Walport was Chair of the Ealing Youth Orchestra (EYO) and through that she then helped build a strong relationship with the charity and Ealing.

Located in Bedford Park, St Michael and All Angels Church (SMAAA) selected The Amber Trust as one of their supported charities between 2017 and 2019. St Michael's played a key role in both fundraising and increasing Amber's profile.

Walport told Ealing Nub News: "I had a number of close contacts with St Michael and All Angels Church through my involvement with the Ealing Youth Orchestra.

"Also, colleagues from the Medical Defence Union who are parishioners and were responsible for sponsoring Amber to become one of SMAAA's charities, and through other friends who attend the church.

"At that time, Amber's income struggled to reach £100,000 each year and St Michael's played a key role both in raising funds for us and raising our profile."

This all changed from 2017-2019 when the charity was able to raise almost £50,000 when they only expected to raise between £6-7k.

Walport said: "We were told initially that St Michael and All Angels usually raised about £20,000 from its fundraising events throughout the year for its three charities and we could expect to receive between £6K and £7K.

"In the end, directly or indirectly, they raised almost £50,000 for Amber over the three years!"

Walport added: "As well as my involvement with the Ealing Youth Orchestra in which all four of my children played and I chaired for a number of years including its 50th anniversary year, The Amber Trust had a strong Ealing connection."

Reacting to receiving an MBE, Walport said: "My involvement with Amber has been hugely rewarding and I am so fortunate to have the work recognised in this way.

"I made good friends with many of the families and it has been a joy watching some of the amazingly talented visually impaired children and young people Amber supports mature musically and socially over the last decade."

The Amber Trust has been providing musical opportunities for blind and partially sighted children, and children with more complex needs since 1995.

St Michael and All Angels Church is an Anglican church in Bedford Park, Chiswick designed by the architect Norman Shaw and consecrated in 1880.

EYO is a vibrant orchestra for young musicians aged 13-18, founded in 1959 and based in West London.

To find out more about SMAAA click here, to find out more about The Amber Trust click here and to find out more about the EYO click here .

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