Her Majesty The Queen recognises UK volunteer with Commonwealth award
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II – as Head of the Commonwealth – has recognised UK volunteer Rob Mather as the 53rd Commonwealth Point of Light. The award is in honour of his outstanding work to reduce cases of malaria and child mortality across the Commonwealth and the world.
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge presented Mather with a certificate signed by The Queen during a reception to welcome thousands of delegates to the UK as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018.
Mather is the CEO and founder of the Against Malaria Foundation (AMF), an organisation that works to reduce malaria cases and child mortality by providing millions of malaria nets to developing countries. AMF has distributed more than 70 million nets worldwide, with 25 million going to 15 Commonwealth nations.
Rob Mather, CEO and founder of AMF, said: “It is an honour to have the work of the Against Malaria Foundation recognised in this way. Many people and organisations have supported AMF in a voluntary capacity over many years and this recognition is of them also as AMF would not have been able to contribute in the way it has without them.
“All of us at AMF are passionate about contributing to the reduction and eventual elimination of malaria. My own motivation has been simple. My four children go to sleep at night where a mosquito bite would lead to an annoying itch. Many other people have children and family members for whom the consequences of a mosquito bite could be severe illness, or far worse, so we won’t stop working as a team and with many partners until that has been changed.”
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, said: “It’s reflective of Her Majesty The Queen’s long-standing commitment to the Commonwealth that she would want to shine a light on individuals who have made such a difference to the lives of people and communities within it. Rob Mather and all of the Commonwealth Points of Light are unsung heroes and it’s a privilege to express our gratitude to them in this way.”
As leaders prepare to come together for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018 to address shared global challenges, The Queen has been recognising one inspirational volunteer from each of the 53 Commonwealth nations for their contribution to tackling some of these challenges.
Known as Commonwealth Points of Lights, 53 outstanding volunteers have been recognised and received a personalised certificate signed by The Queen. Mather is the Commonwealth Point of Light for the UK and the final recipient to be recognised.
The Against Malaria Foundation has been named the most effective charity in the world by independent charity evaluator GiveWell for the past 5 years. AMF has raised over $158 million and uses 100% of public donations to buy and distribute mosquito nets. Other costs are covered by dedicated donors. Inspired by the Foundation’s goals, transparency and efficiency, nearly 530,000 people have donated to its cause.
Learn more about all of the Commonwealth Points of Light recipients at www.pointsoflight.gov.uk.
