FA Councillor Neil Hope who runs the RAF's Shirts For Africa & Beyond Appeal which collects and redistributes football kits across the world
has been recognised in the New Year Honours list.
Sqn Ldr Neil Hope from RAF Shawbury has been appointed MBE for his charity work, he said "It's fantastic, I'm incredibly proud".
The appeal that started in 2006 had so far delivered 49,000 items, including 19,000 shirts, to 39 countries.
Talking about the appeal Sqn Ldr Hope said: "The intention was that it would only run until the end of that year after the [FIFA] World Cup Finals but it's going stronger than ever at the moment.
"I've got another 7,000 items in stock that need to be delivered."
He has been to Kenya three times to personally deliver some of the shirts and footballs that are collected from across the UK and is planning a fourth trip in May.
Sqn Ldr Hope has also been recognised in the honours list for other fundraising activities over the past six years, which have seen more than £100,000 raised for charities including the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund.