TWO local men have been honoured at the House of Lords for outstanding charitable work.

Corringham’s John Darling – father of Karis May Darling - and Ricky Ellis from Horndon-on-the-Hill received the awards at the second annual Constructive Carers Awards from Baroness Smith of Basildon.

The awards were sponsored by Guardian Air and Water Hygiene in association with the Kids Company and seek to find unsung heroes in the property industry.

John said his fundraising daughter, who died in 2011 after contracting Streptococcus A, would have been “thrilled” to see him recognised at Parliament.

He said: “It’s really great to be recognised – and for my daughter’s name to be recognised here at the House of Lords – she’d have been thrilled.

“As a parent you can’t prepare for the feeling of losing a child and this has helped me to cope.”

Ricky works with the Westminster Society for People with Learning Disabilities and said he was “touched” to have been recognised for his work, adding Guardian had “done a great job” in supporting the awards.

Anyone interested in nominating someone who works in the built environment – from design to construction – next year should go to www.guardianconstructivecarers.org