Community heroes get their accolades

A tireless community worker who has worked for 50 years to improve her estate in the Black Country was rec- ognised by the Queen today in her birthday honours.

Ann Nightingale formed a tenants and residents association after moving to the Lunt and has fought for a range of improvements to her community, including saving dozens of houses from the bulldozer, creating youth facilities and modernising the homes.

Ann, from Dartmouth Crescent, who has been honoured with an MBE for her services to the community, said she was more proud of the improvements she had fought to achieve than any of her previous awards.

Ann, who is married to Percy and admits only to "being in my 70s", said today: "It doesn't really feel any different at the moment. I do everything I do because I care about where I live and looking after it. Things are actually happening and the area is getting better."

Also flying the flag for community workers today is Wednesbury pensioner Frank Betteridge, who has received an MBE for services to the voluntary sector in Sandwell.

The 77-year-old, of Holden Road Wednesbury has devoted more than 30 years to improving the quality of life of disadvantaged residents of the borough, as a fundraiser and volunteer for a range of organisations.

He has chaired voluntary sector agencies including Sandwell Young Carers and Community Caring Trust, a charity which provides services for disadvantaged adults and children across the Black Country.

A dedicated teacher of 40 years at a Walsall school, said to have "impacted thousands of lives" has been awarded an MBE for services to education.

Angela Grandfield's work at Shire Oak School made her an obvious choice for an MBE, say former colleagues.

The 62-year-old, of Yoxall, Staffordshire, retired last July as a PE teacher and head of pastoral care at the school in Lichfield Road. But even now still returns three days a week as school safety manager.

Meanwhile, grandmother Essie Lewis, aged 70, from Church Road, Oxley, receives an MBE for voluntary service to older African and Caribbean people in Wolverhampton. She has been volunteering for most of her adult lifeand in 2000 established the Moreland Trust based on Waterloo Terrace in Whitmore Reans.

Elsewhere in the region, the long-serving Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire is made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order. Walsall-born James Hawley, aged 73, of Milford, near Stafford, was appointed Lord Lieutenant by the Queen in 1993 and is due to retire from the post in March 2012.

Long-serving Dudley councillor and former council leader David Caunt gets the MBE after 40 years in local government. The 69-year-old, of Lower Gornal, has served on the authority since his election victory in Sedgley in 1970.

He served a term as borough Mayor in 1983 and was installed as the Tory group's deputy leader in 1986, all while working as a lecturer at Wolverhampton Polytechnic, which subsequently became the university.

Nigerian Nelson Ogunshakin, aged 49, who lives in Halesowen, left his homeland behind and headed for the Midlands in 1978 - and today he was reaping the rewards after 32 years working his way to the top. As chief executive of the Association of Consultancy and Engineering (ACE), the father-of-three helped Britain secure the 2012 Olympics.

Being awarded an OBE is the culmination of three decades climbing the career ladder.

More than 15 years ago, 17-year-old Sutton College student Stuart Fisher's life was shattered when he was hit by a joy-rider fleeing from the police. Now the 32-year-old, of Park Hall Road in Walsall, is a seasoned campaigner for road safety and car crime prevention, despite needing round-the-clock care. He has now been given an MBE for voluntary service.