David Bruce, of Cobbs Farm and The Bruce Trust, receives his OBE at Buckingham Palace

David Bruce has received his OBE at Buckingham Palace.

Chairman of Cobbs Farm, Mr Bruce attended a ceremony in London with his wife, Louise, on June 7 and received his OBE from the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William.

Mr Bruce was appointed the OBE for his services to charity.

Following the sale of his Firkin pub chain, Mr and Mrs Bruce founded The Bruce Trust in 1988.

The charity has provided self-catered holidays for 25,000 disabled people on the Kennet & Avon Canal in purpose-built wide-beam boats.

The Bruce Trust gifted its four boats to The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust in 2016, which are now operated by its Bruce Branch volunteers at Great Bedwyn.

Mr Bruce was president of the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust from 2011 to 2019 and its volunteers were presented the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service by Princess Anne in 2014.

The trust launched its first boat, named The Rebecca after Mr and Mrs Bruce's eldest daughter, in January 1989, and have since then raised over half a million pounds to fund three more boats - The Hannah, named after their second daughter, The Diana and The Rachel.