Express & Star

New Year Honours: Unsung heroes from across the Black Country and Staffordshire are recognised

Heroes from across the Black Country and Staffordshire have been recognised in the New Year’s Honours List.

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Left, Elfyn Pugh at front with trophy, receives an award for services to coaching, with right top, Professor Alan Tuckett, and bottom, Diana Seeney

From charity champions to community volunteers, people from all walks of life share their moment with a glittering array of celebrities, sports stars and politicians.

A professor who ‘pioneered’ adult learning for the past four decades has received a knighthood.

Alan Tuckett, from the University of Wolverhampton, has been recognised for his services to education.

University bosses said he had dedicated his career to ‘developing lifelong learning’, influencing education policies ‘across the globe’.

Sir Alan, who has been professor of education in the city for the last three years, said: “I am both honoured and humbled by the award, and delighted that the importance of adult learning to an enlightened democracy has been recognised in this way.”

The man who became the driving force behind Willenhall Rugby Club has been awarded the British Empire Medal.

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Elfyn Pugh has been at the heart of the club for more than half a century and helped to find members a permanent home in Bognop Road, Essington, back in 1966.

After playing for the club, the unsung hero held every position – from fixture secretary to president – while also serving on a number of county committees and being chairman of Staffordshire Rugby Union between 2002 and 2004.

It is the latest honour for the 83-year-old, who was presented with an RFU lifetime achievement award from England rugby head coach Eddie Jones at Twickenham just last year.

Mr Pugh, who received his first major award from the Midland RFU 10 years ago, said: “I thought going to Twickenham was the ultimate accolade but this is a fantastic honour.

“It has been a joy to work with a county like Staffordshire but the person who really deserves the awards is my wife.”

And he is joined by the chairman of Stafford Town Football Club who has been recognised for his years of dedication and hard work.

Gordon Evans, who has helped transform the side into a community club in recent years, has been awarded a British Empire Medal.

Stafford Town Football Club chairman Gordon Evans

The 75-year-old launched the club in 1977 and after leaving six years later he returned in 2003, and helped put it at the heart of the town by encouraging youngsters to get involved in the game through coaching.

He said: “Obviously I’m very, very proud to be honoured.

“I think it is very special – I feel hugely proud and so do all of my family. It’s just an amazing thing to happen for you, when the letter came through from the cabinet office, I was gobsmacked.”

The club is unrecognisable today from 15 years ago, thanks largely to the efforts of the chairman.

It now plays in a new ground, hosting a 3G pitch, which the community is invited to use.

Mr Evans, who has been away from the club in recent weeks while struggling with illness, said: “Over three or four years we got the finances right for the club.

“We started off in 2005 and 2006 doing coaching at Stafford Manor high school – we developed seven teams in the first year, moved on from there and became a community club.

“We started up there in the summer with about 23 kids and then by September we had over 80 children attending - it was girls and boys.

“We developed a ladies team in 2007 and still continue to grow over the years.”

He added: “I’m a lad from a very, very poor family in Rugeley and I was the last of six – it’s just phenomenal, absolutely phenomenal.”

Kathryn Livingston, from Wolverhampton, has been recognised for her work highlighting dissociative identity disorder, previously known as multiple personality disorder.

She founded the First Person Plural charity and has received a British Empire Medal.

She said: “This is an absolute honour. But I am accepting this on behalf of those with dissociative identity disorder too.

"We want to get the message out that this condition exists but that lives can get better and improve with the right help and support.”

She founded the charity when a newsletter ceased production. At the time this was the only resource addressing the needs of those who have survived severe trauma through complex dissociation.

First Person Plural specialises in working for and on behalf of all those affected by Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Inez May Henriques is another Wolverhampton recipient. She has been handed an MBE for her work with the West Midlands Caribbean Parents and Friends Association.

Speaking on her behalf, her daughter Molly Henriques-Dillon, said: "We are so delighted that she has been awarded this for all her hard work over the years.

"It is fantastic that she is still ongoing and running the group - she has given an amazing amount of time and effort to the community."

The West Midlands Caribbean Parents and Friends Association started in 1958.

She was nominated Chair of the Elders Group in 1996 and although now 91, she continues in this role today.

She has advocated and fought against racial discrimination, unjust education and employment practices and housing issues.

And Paul Strothers, also from the city, and former chief executive of aerospace firm Zodiac Seats has been awarded an MBE for his work in the industry.

Scout leader Derek Elton has been awarded an MBE at the age of 96 in recognition of his decades of service to Scout groups in Stourbridge.

Derek Elton

The great-grandfather has been part of the movement since the age of 15 and is still involved four years shy of his 100th birthday.

Mr Elton, from Wollaston, admitted news of his award came as a huge surprise and said he did not expect any more honours after being awarded the Silver Wolf – the highest scouting accolade – in 2008.

“I am very, very shocked to receive it,” he said. “I am absolutely thrilled to bits but it came as a huge shock.”

Mr Elton joined the 1st Stourbridge St Thomas group as a teenager and went on to become Cub master.

He is less actively involved these days but remains president of the Kinver Scout Camp and vice-president of the West Mercia Scout County.

Asked why he has remained active with the Scouts for so long, he replied: “Friendship. And helping others, that’s all I can say. Helping to train the youngsters.”

Also celebrating is Judith Morris, from Halesowen, who has been awarded the British Empire Medal for almost 60 years of work with St John Ambulance.

Judith Morris

Mrs Morris joined the charity as a cadet in 1959 and worked her way up to become a unit manager. She is now responsible for training the next generation of life-savers.

The 66-year-old said: “It’s an honour not just for me but for a team of people, and the young cadets we have got at Halesowen.

“I have dealt with a few road accidents and when somebody is unwell I am able to help. It is just about having the knowledge and confidence to help somebody.”

Also on the list is former Mayor of Dudley and St Thomas’s councillor, Steve Waltho, who has become an MBE for services to local government in the Dudley borough and the community.

Steve Waltho

He said: “When I opened the letter my wife said she had never seen me react to anything like that. I was in complete and utter silence when I showed her the letter.

“I’m deeply honoured, very humbled, I just work for the good of others.”

A former housing association boss, who provided homes to vulnerable families across Dudley, has also been made an MBE.

Jane Clarke, aged 62, retired last year after almost 30 years at the helm of Churches Housing Association of Dudley and District (CHADD).

“I can’t quite believe it,” she said.

“It was a joy to go to work. I led an incredible team of very committed people who are the ones who really deserve this award.”

Diana Seeney, from Wall Heath, has been honoured for services to the Girls’ Brigade.

She said: “I am so excited. I was very surprised when I heard about this. I think that when you do volunteering work you don’t expect to get recognition for it. So this will be something very special for me. ”

And Tipton community champion Pauline Hodgetts, who has dedicated 40 years to improving the area, is another to get the British Empire Medal.

Pauline Hodgetts in the peace garden she helped to create in Horseley Road cemetery, Tipton

She has strived for 40 years to make her home town Tipton a better place, leading the friends group at Victoria Park and helping to run a sons of rest group allowing pensioners to socialise with friends.

She has been awarded the British Empire Medal for services to her community.

She said: “You just carry on on doing things because you really enjoy doing them and then you find out you’ve been recognised like this.

“It’s absolutely fantastic. ”

Other winners included David Harcourt, who was awarded an MBE for services to Stourbridge, Marion Wynn, from Newport, for services to girl-guiding in the UK and abroad and Frances Margaret Veal for services to the community in Bridgnorth.

Also honoured is Robert Herman-Smith, of Stourbridge, who receives an OBE for services to the global aerospace sector, and Anita Itallina Castellina who is awarded a British Empire Medal for services to the community in Cannock.

West Midlands Fire Service's chief fire officer Philip Loach is receiving the Queen's Fire Service Medal and the Queen's Ambulance Service Medal is being awarded to Diane Scott, the deputy chief executive of West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.

Philip Loach: Queen's Fire Service Medal

Reacting to the award, CFO Loach said: “I am extremely proud to have been awarded the Queen’s Fire Service Medal. My family are delighted and I would like to thank them for their amazing support, without which I’m sure this recognition would not have been possible.

“I’m fortunate enough to thoroughly enjoy my work and career with West Midlands Fire Service and in the wider fire, rescue and public sector.

“The role of Chief Fire Officer and the work of all of our staff and volunteers comes with many challenges. I never cease to be impressed by the commitment and dedication of people throughout West Midlands Fire Service whose efforts keep our communities safe day in, day out.

“I recognise their dedication and thank them and members of West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority for their valuable contributions to public service in this amazing region of ours.”

Born and raised in the Black Country, Mr Loach joined West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) in January 1994 as a recruit firefighter. He had previously worked in both the private and public sectors.

He served as a firefighter across Birmingham and the Black Country, and went on to take up roles including Operations Commander for Birmingham, Head of Emergency Response, Assistant Chief Fire Officer (Operations) and Deputy Chief Fire Officer. He was appointed Chief Fire Officer in October 2014.

As head of the country’s second largest metropolitan fire service, he is responsible for the provision of emergency response, business safety and community safety services to more than 2.7 million people across the seven council areas of Birmingham, Walsall, Sandwell, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Coventry and Solihull.

He actively provides a leadership role on public service reform for West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), as well as the authority’s work supporting people including children and young adults with multiple and complex needs.

He is also Vice-Chair of the National Fire Chiefs’ Council, a Governor of West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, and a patron of the charity ‘BURNAID’ which supports burn survivors in the West Midlands.

Councillor John Edwards, Chair of West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority, said: “Phil Loach has dedicated the whole of his service as a firefighter to communities here in the West Midlands.

“Having risen through the ranks to become Chief Fire Officer, he now provides inspiring leadership to everyone who works for West Midlands Fire Service in addition to playing a pivotal and influential role in the fire and rescue sector across the UK.”

Minister for Policing and the Fire Service, Nick Hurd, said: “The Queen’s Fire Service Medal is a symbol of outstanding devotion to duty and Chief Fire Officer Phil Loach has been a shining example of this, serving in every rank in West Midlands Fire Service during his career.

“Under his leadership, West Midland Fire Service has become more innovative and inclusive and I thank him for his years of dedicated service.”

Mr Loach is expected to be presented with his QFSM at a ceremony in London in the new year.

Diane Scott: Queen’s Ambulance Service Medal. Photo: West Midlands Ambulance Service.

West Midlands Ambulance Service’s Deputy Chief Executive, Diane Scott, is one of only two recipients of the Queen’s Ambulance Service Medal (QAM) based in England.

Diane is an Executive Director of the Trust Board and is responsible for the corporate and clinical directorates. She is also a Health and Care Professions Council registered paramedic.

Speaking about her award, Diane, whose career spans more than 30 years having started with Hampshire Ambulance Service in 1985, said: “I am immensely proud and honoured to receive this award. It is a great privilege and the QAM represents the pinnacle of my ambulance career.

“I have been proud to work for, and with, many good people at all levels throughout the ambulance service and the NHS, including many skilled and compassionate colleagues who provide excellent care on a daily basis to patients and the public.

“Whilst I have been fortunate to receive the award, it would not have happened without the hard work and support of my colleagues from within the ambulance service to whom I am extremely grateful.”