THE founder of a charity which supports people with learning disabilities has been awarded an MBE.

Rosa Monckton, pictured, who founded Brighton-based Team Domenica, was honoured for voluntary and charitable services to people with learning difficulties and their families, both abroad and in the UK.

A close friend of the Princess of Wales, Ms Monckton said Diana would be proud of her achievements.

Diana was the godmother of her daughter, Domenica, who has Down’s syndrome.

Speaking about her friend, Ms Monckton, 64, said: “She once said that everybody needs to be valued, everybody has the potential to give something back.

“She was Domenica’s godmother and she did an enormous amount for disenfranchised people.”

She added: “I know she would [be proud].

“But, particularly and much more importantly, she would have been proud of her goddaughter and all that she has achieved.”

Ms Monckton was awarded her MBE by the Queen at Buckingham Palace yesterday.

She said it was “so moving and so humbling” and “such an honour” to receive the MBE.

Team Domenica, based in Preston Road, is named after Ms Monckton’s daughter.

It has a training centre and employment agency based around offering young adults with learning disabilities the support they need to get into work.

“The cafe is a really central part of what we do, it is open to the public,” said Ms Monckton.

“We had one lady who came in last week and she said ‘I go to Starbucks and I spend my money, but here I leave a bit of my soul’.

“That actually, for me, meant yes, she gets it. It might take you longer to get your cup of coffee, it might get spilt along the way but let’s sit down and recognise a sense of shared humanity.”