The Ham-based chief executive of an international development charity was awarded a CBE in the New Year's Honours lists revealed last weekend.

Mark Goldring was made a Commander of the British Empire for services to disadvantaged people when the list was announced last Saturday.

He was nominated for his work with Putney-based charity VSO (Voluntary Services Overseas), where he has been chief executive since 1999, having been involved with the charity since being a volunteer teacher in Sarawak in 1979.

Mark has overall responsibility for the leadership, management and direction of the charity, that works through volunteers and has an annual turnover of over £40 million, raised from governmental, institutional and charitable sources.

VSO employs more than 600 staff worldwide, who both enable 2000 international and thousands of national volunteers to share their skills to help reduce poverty in the developing world and who support a wide range of related development activities, including grant making, research and advocacy.

He said: "2008 is VSO's 50th anniversary, so this a great and timely recognition for the work that volunteers do. In my eight years as chief executive, VSO has gone through huge change and development, but volunteers are still the centre of our work.

"We are now leading the world in working through volunteers to tackle poverty and our work is even more relevant and necessary in the 21st century.

"I want to take this opportunity to heartily thank everyone who volunteers, supports and works for and with VSO."