Queen's Birthday Honours: West Midlands' great and good recognised

The 67-year-old has become one of the nation’s best loved-stars.

It marks a remarkable rise for the daughter of a post office clerk and a builder, who was raised in Smethwick.

After working with a touring theatrical company, Walters found her place in the hearts of the British TV audience in the late 1970s and early 1980s, particularly for her partnership with Victoria Wood.

Walters is also a revered stage and film actress and has won a plethora of TV and big screen Baftas, including the coveted Bafta Fellowship, as well as an Olivier Award and other prestigious accolades.

Today, she was made a a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire at 67 for services to drama.

It comes as community heroes from the Black Country and Staffordshire were also recognised for their efforts in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

People who have gone above and beyond to put their areas on the map have been named in the list.

Those honoured range from volunteers to business leaders.

Community stalwart Margaret Thompson has also been given an British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to the community in Shareshill.

Mrs Thompson, 76, said she was 'absolutely shocked and surprised' to win the award.

Her commendation says she 'spends most of her life contributing and fundraising for the local community of Shareshill and Little Saredon'.

Mrs Thompson was chairman of the Luncheon Club for over eight years – while her fundraising has raised money for the village's church roof, community owned post office and general store, which is now considered a social line for some of the villagers.

She co-ordinates Shareshill's bi-annual village fete, the vintage steam fair and organised Queen's Jubilee and VE Day village celebrations, which all raised funds for the community.

Mrs Thompson said: "I've never thought I was doing anything special. The community is really important to use and it's great to see people supporting community events.

"We couldn't possibly achieve what we've done without lots of people's support."

Marianne Diller has been awarded a BEM for services to the community in Halesowen.

Mrs Diller, 80, has been chair of the Friends of Leasowes Park group since its inception in 1999.

She said: "It means a great deal to me and it was a lovely surprise.

"I feel very honoured to have been given it and happy to accept it on behalf of all the people who do voluntary work throughout Dudley and particularly for people who help and volunteer with the Friends of Leasowes.

"The park is so beautiful and so important for the area – it's well worth fighting its cause on all sides.

"There are so many people doing so many volunteering jobs across the country to be singled out really is an honour."

Jenny Jones, the founder and manager of Inspired Foundations, has been given an MBE for services to adoption.

Jenny, from Dudley, who celebrates her 37th birthday today, said: "It's a great feeling.

"I think a huge part of me hasn't quite taken it all on board – I feel so honoured someone has taken the time to sit down and fill out an application form to put me forward.

"It's very weird, but an amazing feeling."

An Army officer based in Stafford has been awarded an MBE. Major Richard Bell, 51, is currently Second-in-Command at 22 Signal Regiment at Beacon Barracks.

He was recommended for the honour after being at the forefront of Army football as a player, coach and administrator for more than two decades.

In 2007 Major Bell became the first coach in the history of Army football to win a clean sweep of trophies in a single season – the Inter-Services Cup, the Inter-Corps Trophy, the Army Cup and the Signallers Cup.

Major Bell said: “I feel humbled by this award, particularly as being involved with Army, Royal Signals and Regimental level football has been an honour, a privilege and deeply rewarding in itself over the last three decades.”

Major Bell joined the Royal Corps of Signals at Catterick in 1984 and served as a soldier for 20 years until commissioned in 2004.

He has been deployed to Central America, Northern Ireland, the Balkans and Iraq – completing 10 tours of duty.

Since suffering a serious knee injury in 1989, he has coached and managed at Regimental, Corps and Army level.

Major Bell is currently the Army Veterans' team manager and recently took the team to the World Masters’ Games in Auckland, New Zealand, where they won the gold medal in their age group.

Other people honoured include foster carers Barbara and Martin Hale, from Tipton, who have both been awarded MBEs for services to children and families.

They have taken in 126 children in the past 20 years working for Sandwell Council.

Paul Kehoe, Birmingham Airport's chief executive officer, has been named as a CBE for services to the aviation industry and UK economy.

Former West Midlands Lord Lieutenant Paul Sabapathy was given a Royal Victorian Order, while Jaswindar Singh Wouhra, the director and company secretary of Sandwell-based East End Foods was given an OBE for services to business and international trade.

Recently retired Staffordshire Police Chief Constable Jane Sawyers has been handed the Queen's Police Medal.

The West Midlands' High Sheriff Keith Bradshaw, who is a founding patron of Wolverhampton's Way Youth Zone, has been given an OBE for services to charity and young people.

Kathleen Rees, the former chief executive officer of The Haven, has been awarded an MBE for services to the protection of women and child victims of domestic violence in the West Midlands and overseas.

Avril Cotterill, from Haughton in Staffordshire, has won a BEM for services to the community, with Anjna Morarji Patel, Sandwell Council's principal officer for road safety and parking, winning an MBE for services to the parking profession.

Janice Boswell, 74, from Belbroughton, has also been named as an MBE for voluntary service and services to the community in Bromsgrove, with Linda Susan Clark from Walsall handed the same honour for voluntary service.

Dr Kevin Rowland, who lives in West Bromwich and is the facilitator in systems and services at Sandwell Council, has been honoured with an MBE for services to special educational needs and disabilities.

Two West Midlands Police officers have also been recognised. Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Alex Murray and PC Gary Stack have both been honoured.

ACC Murray, aged 41, who started his career with the force in 1996, has received an OBE for his work in evidence-based policing.

He said: “Evidence-based policing is not about the type of evidence we use in court, but about the evidence around what really works in fighting crime. How do we understand what the actual effect of our action is? How do we link cause with effect? It allows police to be innovative because we can get a genuine understanding of the impact we are making.

“In the West Midlands this has allowed us to change the way we manage offenders, police hot-spots, road safety and even counter-terrorism.”

In 2009 ACC Murray and others started the Society of Evidence-Based Policing which aimed to promote this approach across the UK. It now has around 5,000 members including branches around the world in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

ACC Murray said: “I was really surprised when I received the letter telling me I had been awarded the OBE. It is a credit to all those staff who have tried to work in an evidence-based way. I have worked with lots and lots of people in the police, in the College of Policing and in universities who are really committed to this approach and the benefits it can bring and I would like to say thank you to them all.”

College of Policing Director of Knowledge, Research and Education, Rachel Tuffin said: “On behalf of everyone at the college I would like to congratulate Alex Murray on his OBE, which is a tremendous honour which he thoroughly deserves.

“He has had a major personal impact on the development of the profession of policing through his passionate championing of an evidence-based approach.

“His innovative work puts integrity and leadership at the heart of evidence-based policing and inspires officers and staff to combine policing skills and knowledge with scientific methods to make a true profession.

“The College and Alex have worked closely for a number of years and his work supports our aims and has the potential to change the culture and leadership of policing at every level."

PC Gary Stack works in the Birmingham Partnerships Team based in the city centre and received a British Empire Medal for Services to Policing and the Community in this year’s honours.

The 38-year-old, who has worked for WMP for 13 years, chairs the Force’s LGBT network and is also the force lead for sexual orientation hate crime.

He said: “It was a huge shock when I received the letter to say I had been honoured but I feel extremely moved to have been recognised in this way.

“It is so important that the LGBT community trust that they can report crime to us and it will be taken seriously. A large part of my role lies in building that trust and in my time here I have seen things improve enormously both in terms of equality and legislatively.

“I am very proud to have received the medal but I know we can never be complacent and both my work and that of the force will continue.”

Chief Superintendent Sally Bourner from WMP said: “‘PC Stack works tirelessly to protect the public and help his colleagues. His work on hate crime is helping to transform lives and his leadership of the LGBT Network as a volunteer is inspiring.

“He epitomises the values of public service in offering friendship, service and help to the public.

“His recognition is thoroughly deserved and we are so proud of him."