Royal honours for Black Country and Staffordshire community services

A total of eight people were awarded the prestigious medals, also known as the BEM, including three from Sandwell, three from Dudley, one from Walsall and one from Staffordshire.

They were all given their medals by the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of West Midlands, Colonel George Marsh TD, at a special ceremony at Birmingham's council house in the city centre.

Walsall'srecipient was 55-year-old-year-old Julia Barnard from Westbrook Avenue, Aldridge. Mrs Barnard, whose son and husband attended the ceremony, received her medal for services to charitable fundraising.

For the last 29 years she has been arranging and personally funding a Christmas decorations display in her garden for residents to view and raising money for a variety of national and local charities.

Speaking to the Express & Star at the awards ceremony, Mrs Barnard said: "I am really really proud but it is a family affair, it is for the whole family. It is the last thing that you ever think, you just do it for the charities to raise some money and do not think that anything like this will ever come through.

We've raised for different charities, Acorns, St Giles Hospice, Rainbow House, Robin Ward at the Manor."

Across the border in Cheslyn Hay is where David Horton set up his life saving club some 32 years ago. Mr Horton, 72, from Bridge Avenue, Cheslyn Hay, received his MBE for services to life saving.

After learning to swim in 1981, Mr Horton set up Cheslyn Hay Life Saving Club in 1984, which he still runs today along with Cannock Life Saving club.

Through the club Mr Horton has taught thousands of youngsters about water safety, drowning prevention techniques and life support procedures.

Mr Horton said that he started the Cheslyn Hay club after lots of consultation and hard work.

He said: " The club has flourished and it has been really good. We've trained maybe thousands of people."

At the end of the ceremony in Birmingham,there was a big round of applause.

One of those receiving the applause was 83-year-old Jean Fletcher from Priory Court, Dudley. Mrs Fletcher currently volunteers one day a week at Mary Stevens Hospice, after working as a nurse until she was 76.

After receiving her BEM for community service, Mrs Fletcher said: "I am very happy to receive the award. I volunteer once a week or when they need me, which I enjoy. I was working till I was 76."

Another Dudley resident to receive the silver medal was Lynne Jankowska, from Wordsley, Dudley. The 64-year-old was awarded hers for services to health, being one of Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership Trusts' longest serving experts by experience.

In her role she has helped to make improvements to the design and delivery of the trust's services.

The final Dudley resident to receive their award was cult hero Shahzada Saleem. Mr Saleem, from Ploverdale Crescent, Kingswinford, is a former stone-lifting champion who also goes by the title King Shazad.

A champion stone lifter from 1985 to 1996, the 51-year-old set up the Shazad Academy after he retired from the sport.

The academy has helped young and disadvantaged residents turn their lives around. On top of this, in 2001, he set up the self-funding Kashmir Youth forum. The voluntary organisation has made a 'significant contribution to community cohesion', according to the West Midlands Lieutenancy.

He described his medal as 'one of my proudest days', adding: "Getting a medal from her majesty – you cannot ask for anything more. I achieved so many medals in my life, gold medals, trophies, everything, but this is one of the best. My legacy is all complete now, I trained hard all my life for this."

The first Sandwell resident to receive their award was Pearly Reid.

Mrs Reid, 80, from Hallam Street, West Bromwich, has given more than 30 years service to the town. She worked as a nurse and has played a 'vital part' of the Anglican church's outreach into the community. On top of this she is an active member of the Mothers' Union, the Women's Guild, has served on the Parochial Church council and was a school governor for 30 years.

In receiving her BEM medal for services to the community, she said: "I had no idea that any of my work would lead me to a medal. It is a very exciting time."

Jacqueline Humphries from Tipton also received the award. Mrs Humphries, from Madin Road, received her BEM medal for community service after setting up a homeless shelter and raising funds for a young girl with brittle bone disease.

She has also served as a Brownie leader for more than 15 years as well as being a work coach for the Department of Work and Pensions and a lay preacher.

The 53-year-old said: "The shelter is still going strong, I set it up because there was a need. I also helped in setting up the Tipton foodbank because again there was a need."

The final Sandwell recipient was Shaminder Singh Rai, who was awarded his medal for services to education.

Mr Rai, 44, from St James Close, has set up four schools in the past five years including Nishkam Primary School Wolverhampton.

He also volunteers for a project which serves and makes food for the homeless.