Unsung heroes join stars on honours list
They are the unsung heroes whose voluntary work binds their communities. But today two pensioners from the West Midlands joined the nation's Olympic heroes and a rock star among those recognised in the New Year's Honours.
They are the unsung heroes whose voluntary work binds their communities. But today two pensioners from the West Midlands joined the nation's Olympic heroes and a rock star among those recognised in the New Year's Honours.
Brenda Barker, aged 67, and Doug Birch, 78, have dedicated decades of their lives to improving the lives of people in Bilston and Brownhills respectively.
Mrs Barker was one of the founding members of the Stowlawn Tenants' and Residents' Association in 1972. She went on to become the group's chairwoman and still holds that title 35 years later. She has been given an MBE for her voluntary service to the group.
Mr Birch, affectionately known as Mr Brownhills, has been given the same title for his work as chairman of the Brownhills Local Committee.
Mrs Barker, of Wolseley Road, Bilston, today told of her surprise at being named in the prestigious list.
"I couldn't believe it when I opened the letter," she told the Express & Star. "I do not know who nominated me but it is an absolute shock."
Mrs Barker was one of six residents who helped set up the association 36 years ago from the Stowlawn Methodist Church, in School Walk.
"About six of us met at the church because we wanted to set up a group to help the residents with their complaints and problems," she said.
"The group's first chairman was a man called Mr Corns but when he died I was elected as the new chairwoman and have been ever since."
The group now has 25 active members.
Mrs Barker said: "We've put lights outside Stowlawn Primary School so that the kids aren't coming out of school in the dark and a lot of work has been done on the bungalows to put porches on for pensioners."
Mrs Barker grew up in a house in Stowheath Lane before moving to live with husband Ray, aged 72, in their Wolseley Road home around 47 years ago.
She worked at Stow Heath Junior School for 24 years as a kitchen supervisor. The couple have a daughter, Susanne Roberts, 47, and grandaughter Emma, 20, who live in Silverton Way, Wednesfield.
Next door neighbour Brian Griffiths, 59, said: "She is a marvellous woman and no-one deserves this more than her.
"She is always busy working hard for this neighbourhood and very unselfish.
Mr Birch, of Pelsall Road, Brownhills, a prolific figure in the town, said he was "very, very proud and highly honoured" by the accolade.
The retired youth worker, who is married to 77-year-old Freda – also a retired youth worker –is known for his work as chairman of Brownhills Local Committee, a volunteer-run organisation which was set up in 1996.
Among his achievements at the helm is the transformation of Brownhills' former council house into the Park View Resource Centre, complete with a medical centre and community facilities, as well as the renovation of Brownhills canalside.
The grandfather-of-two also counts the erection of the iconic 33ft tall Brownhills miner statue as one of his, and the committee's, proudest achievements.
"We wanted to provide a gateway to Brownhills which would let people know exactly where they are," said Mr Birch, father to Mark, aged 50 and Tim, 44. We looked at various different options as to what form it would take but I was insistent it should have a mining theme because Brownhills was built on coal."
A keen wood turner and walker, Mr Birch is also involved in organising Brownhill's annual canal festival, which draws more than 2,000 people to the town each summer.
Born and raised in Brownhills, the former Brownhills Central School pupil began his working life in collieries around Walsall and Cannock as an engineer.
In 1951, he trained as a youth worker in Sheffield, where he met his wife of 55 years, Freda, before taking up posts at Brownhills and Walsall Wood Youth Centres helping 11 to 25-year-olds across the borough enjoy activities such as mountaineering.
Volunteering
Mr Birch said the award was as much for the entire Brownhills Local Committee as it was for him.
Elsewhere in the region, chief locomotive inspector Bernard Rainbow, aged 75, who has worked on the Severn Valley Railway for more than 20 years, has been awarded the MBE for volunteering services to the rail industry.
A former British Rail steam railwayman, Birmingham-born Mr Rainbow has had a lifetime interest in railways. He joined the Severn Valley Railway in 1986, volunteering to carry out important tasks around the Bridgnorth shed.
Eventually he gained promotion to locomotive inspector and later became chief traffic superintendent.
He even celebrated his wedding anniversary with his wife, Margaret, by hiring a train for a day.
Nicholas Paul, chairman of regional development body Advantage West Midlands receives a CBE for services to business.
Mr Paul, of Malvern, Worcestershire, was deputy chief executive of international engineering group IMI Plc until the end of 2001 after 24 years with the company. He was also the chairman of the MG Rover Task Force.
Staffordshire police authority chairman Mike Poulter, also a councillor, has received the MBE for services to the county, while West Midlands Pc Su Handford, age 48, who works in intelligence and is based at the force's Birmingham HQ, has received the Queen's Police Medal.
Pc Handford, who has been awarded 12 commendations since joining the police cadets in 1976, said: "I am really, really proud but I can't understand it.
"Like so many of my colleagues, I have just been doing my job over the years to the best of my ability."
Recognition for the great and the good
Awards for people in the West Midlands include:
CBE: John Christopher Freeman, of Kingswinford. Director, children's services, Dudley Council. For services to local government; Terence Keith Morgan. Chief executive, Tube Lines. For services to public transport; Nicholas Campbell Paul, of Malvern. chairman, Advantage West Midlands. For services to business.
OBE: Col Thomas Derek Christopher Lloyd, TD, D, of Sutton Coldfield. For services to the West Midland Reserve Forces and Cadets' Association; Mrs Janet Miller, of Sutton Coldfield. For charitable services.
MBE: Mrs Brenda Barker, of Wolverhampton. For voluntary service to Stowlawn Tenants' and Residents' Association, Bilston; Douglas Oliver Birch, of Brownhills. For voluntary service to the community; Simon Burr, of Halesowen. Vice-president, Engine Controls, Goodrich Corporation. For services to the aerospace industry; Roger Clem Ford, of Bridgnorth. For services to young people in the West Midlands; Laurence Roy Hulbert, of Sutton Coldfield. Vice-chairman, governing body, Shire Oak School, Sutton Coldfield. For voluntary service to education; Bernard Godfrey Rainbow, of Birmingham. Chief Llocomotive inspector, Severn Valley Railway. For voluntary service to the rail industry.
QUEEN'S POLICE MEDAL: Mrs Susan Handford. Constable, West Midlands Police.
Staffordshire awards include:
CBE: David Lee Pearson, OBE, of Leek. For services to equestrianism and to disabled sport.
OBE: Mrs Asha Khemka, of Burton-upon-Trent. Principal and chief executive, West Nottinghamshire College. For services to further education.
MBE: Sydney John Coleman, of Tamworth. For voluntary service to St John Ambulance; Derek Samuel Foster, of Stafford. Director, Action Training (Stoke) Ltd. For services to lifelong learning in Staffordshire; David Irwin Houghton, of Uttoxeter. For services to business and to international trade in the West Midlands; Michael John David Poulter, of Stafford. Chairman, Staffordshire Police Authority. Services to the community.
Worcstershire awards include:
CBE: Robert Anthony Plant, of Bewdley. Singer and songwriter. For services to music.
MBE: Max Field, of Wythall. For services to the community in the West Midlands; Norman Howarth, of Birmingham. Voluntary service to the community in Wythall.
