Two individuals, whose efforts in the community have earned them a prestigious national honour, have been praised by the Mayor of Dudley.

Rose Cook-Monk and Stuart Bratt have both been awarded a British Citizen Award (BCA).

The awards, dubbed the People’s Honour, recognise exceptional individuals who have done great things in the community and made a positive impact.

Rose was awarded her BCA in recognition of services to community. Rose has volunteered in the community for more than 20 years and has been recognised for her work to support the poppy appeal, remembrance and local veterans.

She has organised charity events, provided help during the pandemic to people who were unable to leave their home and supported many local organisations and initiatives, including the Black Country Christmas toy appeal, which is one of the Mayor of Dudley’s chosen charities this year.

Stuart Bratt’s BCA is for services to healthcare. Stuart set up the Tough Enough to Care charity in 2019 after losing two friends to suicide in the same week.

Stuart set out to break down barriers around men’s mental health. With no previous knowledge of mental health support, Stuart began to educate himself at every opportunity, with the goal to get everyone talking about mental health.

Stuart now delivers awareness training at weekends and in the evenings and has so far trained more than 1,000 men in the basic understanding of mental health.

Tough Enough to Care is also one of the Mayor of Dudley’s chosen charities this year. Councillor Sue Greenaway, Mayor of Dudley, said:

“I would like to congratulate both Stuart and Rose on receiving a British Citizen Award.

“It’s clear they are both determined to make a difference to the lives of people in this borough and have worked tirelessly in their efforts. I commend them both.”