THE mother of former Archway School pupil Jody Dobrowski - who was murdered in a horrific homophobic attack - has been named Hero of the Year by gay rights campaign group Stonewall.

Sheri Dobrowski received the prestigious honour from Jody's hero - Stonewall co-founder and twice Oscar nominated actor, Sir Ian McKellen - during the charity's inaugural awards evening at London's Royal Academy.

The star-studded ceremony was a celebration of the positive contributions made by individuals and organisations to the lives of gay people in Britain.

Stonewall members voted for Mrs Dobrowski after she courageously spoke out in the national and local media after Jody's killers were sentenced in June.

She addressed a packed audience of hundreds at the awards ceremony on Thursday, November 2 - little more than a year after her 24-year-old son, a trainee manager at a Jongleurs comedy club, was brutally murdered on London's Clapham Common.

"I looked up from the stage and saw a wall of crying faces," said Mrs Dobrowski, 48, a support worker for individuals with learning difficulties.

"I have had letters and wonderful comments from people.

"In a way it was such an honour. People identified with Jody.

"He had a short life but he left quite an impact.

"There were a lot of gay people there thinking it could have been them.

"I told them I had met lots of real heroes. There are lots of Jodies out there who get up everyday and are proud of who they are.

"It was nerve-racking meeting Sir Ian McKellen. Jody would be so embarrassed but so jealous that I met his hero.

"Sir Ian was very grateful that we had attended and admired us for being there."

The trial of Jody's killers earlier this year concluded with a landmark decision as the homophobic motive was factored into the sentence for the first time.

Mrs Dobrowski admitted that the family's second Christmas without Jody will be difficult.

"It's still fresh really and there will be an empty chair at the table," said Mrs Dobrowski, who lives in Whitminster with her husband, Mike Haddock.

"It's a time of year when we are used to having Jody and all of our kids together."

Mrs Dobrowski added that her spirits were recently lifted by the gay pride rainbow flags which have been hung outside Stroud's Lock-Keepers bar to act as symbols of inclusiveness.

"I sort of got a bit emotional driving through Stroud and then I saw the rainbow flags," she said.

"That's quite brave even in Stroud. It cheered the cockels in my heart."