Celebrating Our Patron Eddie Marsan: From Humble Beginnings to OBE Honour for Services to Drama

Actor Eddie Marson with his OBE outside Windsor Castle.

Streets of Growth would like to say a huge congratulations to our Patron Eddie Marsan who recently received an Order of the British Empire (OBE) from Anne, Princess Royal at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle for his services to drama.

As with the majority of the young people our multi-award-winning charity Streets of Growth support in east London today, Eddie too, comes from the same borough and humble beginnings. Born in Stepney in 1968, growing up on a Bethnal Green council estate in Tower Hamlets, and being the son of a lorry driver and a school dinner lady. Eddie has never turned his back on his roots that helped shape who he is today. In fact, when he heard he was on the New Year Honours list, Marsan said he wanted to share his OBE with Bethnal Green and his family.

For more than two decades Streets of Growth have worked tirelessly tackling youth poverty, child criminal exploitation, youth violence, and supporting young communities into education and employment including the creative industries. We can’t think of a more fitting Patron coming from the area we all grew up on acting as one of our figure heads of our charity and its purpose. Well done Eddie Marsan OBE.

Actor Eddie Marson made an OBE by the Princess Royal at Windsor Castle.