A man who has built the UK Citizens community network from modest East End beginnings into Britain’s most successful civil society alliance has been awarded an honorary university fellowship.

Neil Jameson has been made an Honorary Fellow of Queen Mary University of London’s college at Mile End.

He was presented with the fellowship by the head of the university’s School of Geography, Prof Jane Wills, at the 2012 summer graduation ceremony.

Neil has spent 18 years building a diverse alliance of civil society organisations which campaigns on all social issues for the common good without having to start from scratch every time.

The alliance was started in 1994 as Telco—The East London Communities Organisation—now operating as London Citizens at its headquarters in Cavell Street, Whitechapel, with 250 active member groups.

Its successful campaigns have included the London Living Wage, council housing repairs and ‘city safe’ zones.

But the latest achievement is Britain’s first urban community land trust which was given the green light by London Mayor Boris Johnson earlier this month for the six-acre former St Clement’s Hospital site in Mile End—just half-a-mile from Queen Mary’s College itself.

The college has worked with London Citizens since 2005 on research and teaching projects, including the Living Wage campaign and a new MA course in Community Organising. It also became the first Living Wage campus in the country.

Mr Jameson is honoured for his impact on students and staff and for the role he has played in developing a vibrant civil society in east London.