A volunteer sports coach is "very surprised" to be receiving a prestigious award from the Royal family.
Kim Watson, 61, of Colchester, has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to grassroots netball in East Anglia in the King's Birthday Honours.
Mrs Watson co-runs the Kats Netball Club which operates at Highwoods Sports and Leisure centre in Brinkley Lane.
Since its foundation in 1999, the club started only with two teams but now has 24 kids’ teams, and eight adult teams.
She continues to organise a year-round schedule for the clubs, weekly training sessions, fixtures, a summer league, all whilst working a full-time job.
Speaking about the nomination and the club, Mrs Watson said: “I was absolutely astonished to be honest, I was very surprised, it is very high up.
“It is amazing.
“There are a lot of clubs which are getting bigger, but with us, we don’t turn anyone away, we’ve just expanded last Christmas.”
For Mrs Watson, she discovered her love of netball when she was at school.
As a teenager she was asked by a friend’s parent to see if she wanted to play in an adult league and it all went from there.
However, Kats Netball Club “started by an accident” as her two daughters wanted to play netball, she says.
Now netball takes up a big portion of her spare time.
On Monday is the adult league, youth training takes place for school years six to 11 on Wednesdays, the youth league is on Thursdays, and on Saturday mornings there is a session held for primary school aged children.
She encourages girls to gain coaching qualifications, which helps develop leadership skills and supports them during their PE GCSE or Duke of Edinburgh award.
Mrs Watson also encourages parent vs parent matches to get the whole club involved.
The netball coach said on the sport: “It’s brilliant, sociable, and athletic.
“You need to know what you are doing, it is challenging.
“A lot of parents have said over the years it has helped their kids socialise, helped them with their mental wellbeing.
“They also make friends at netball.”
Giving thanks, she added: "I'm so grateful to so many people involved in the club.
"A massive thank you to England Netball level two's Kirsty Sutherland, Bianca Lewis, Lucy Bennett, Hayley Sweet, Phillippa Butler, Beth Smith, and Becky Henry.
"I would also like to mention England Netball level one's Sophie Smeeth, Emma Shipton, and trainee coaches Erin Charlton, Sarah Maan, Lisa Chapman, Christen Wood, Charlotte Abrehart, and Daisy Bethel.
"Thanks as well to Linda Gaine, Becky Asbridge and the umpires, we cannot play matches without them.
"I would like to thank my two daughters Shannon and Charly, they are the reason I started it in the first place and have helped me with so much throughout the years.
"Finally, thanks to all our club members."
