Founder Trustee of SAFE@LAST, Hilary Massarella was presented with her MBE by The Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace on Friday 21st May.

MBE’s are awarded for achievement or service in and to the community which is outstanding in its field and for a local 'hands-on' service which stands out as an example to others, Hilary’s was for Service to Disadvantaged Young People in South Yorkshire.

Hilary has worked tirelessly, and solely in a voluntary capacity, for ten years to establish and lead the small organisation that makes a huge difference to children’s lives. 

SAFE@LAST provides services including a helpline, ongoing support, prevention project and remarkably the only refuge for children and young people in England. 

The idea came for such an organisation after Hilary watched a documentary and was appalled at the lack of services for such a vulnerable group of young people.  Hilary was inspired by the programme to seek positive change for young runaways.  As a housewife and mother of five small children for two years she researched the issues around running away. There was no doubt, in South Yorkshire, as in many places across the country; children were feeling they had no alternative but to run away. Awareness of the problem desperately needed to be raised and something practical and long lasting urgently needed to be created.

It is reported that 100,000 children and young people run away from home each year.  This amounts to 1 in 9 children being affected by the phenomenon.  Children run away from home and care for a wide variety of reasons and it is recognised that running away is not the problem but a symptom of other problems that children are experiencing including neglect, physical abuse, self harming, forced marriage, conflict and violence at home, sexual exploitation, mental health problems and many more..

Speaking after the ceremony Hilary said of the award “Today has been the most special occasion; to receive recognition in this way is really very humbling as I am aware that SAFE@LAST is made up of so many people who give of themselves. However, this opportunity is appreciated by me and my family, everyone involved in the ceremony was charming and made us feel very much at ease so nerves didn’t get in the way of the enjoyment. Prince Charles was interested in what we do and had a great deal of empathy with young people’s issues.”

Hilary with her children Charles and Elizabeth outside the palace

Hilary with Gymnast Beth Tweedle who recieved also recieved an MBE