CYP Now - Interview: Reward for a life's calling - Colin Tincknell OBE, principal education welfare officer, North Somerset

Although Colin Tincknell spent the early part of his working life as an administration manager for a national company, it was almost inevitable that he would end up in the education welfare service.

"When I was 10 I contracted TB and had to go into a children's home," he recalls. "I came out when I was 12 and the person who helped my mum the most was the education welfare officer, who sorted out things such as my school uniform."

Now, after 27 years in education welfare, Tincknell has received a major accolade in recognition of his service, in the shape of an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours. "I couldn't believe it - I thought they had got the wrong person," he laughs.

Tincknell has been in his present position at North Somerset council since 1996, having spent the formative part of his education welfare career in frontline posts before moving into middle and senior management.

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