Barbara thrilled and humbled by honour

CHEERS: Barbara toasts her MBE

WELL overdue! That was the reaction from friends as volunteer Barbara Micklethwaite was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours.

But the 64-year-old, of Bullcote Green, Royton, says she is humbled after being recognised for services to the community in Oldham.

Barbara is a warden at Holy Trinity Church, Bardsley, where she has worshipped all her life, chairman of Royton Townswomen’s Guild and chairman of Playhouse 2 Shaw.

She is also a member of Oldham Multiple Sclerosis Society, having been both chairman and secretary in the past — and still manages to find time to watch her beloved Oldham Athletic.

The retired conveyancer, who is married to Brian, said: “It’s unbelievable really. I have mixed emotions.

“I am overwhelmed, excited, thrilled of course and humbled because there’s a lot of people who do a tremendous amount of voluntary work in the community but do not get the chance to be nominated.

“I said to my husband, ‘how does a young girl from Bardsley who hated every minute of school life end up with an MBE?’.”

Asked how she manages to juggle everything she added: “I just sort of fit everything in and do it.

“I always think there has to be somebody out there that goes that extra mile for others — and I thoroughly enjoy everything I do.”

Barbara’s dedication to her voluntary work means that the Latics season ticket holder, who will have supported the team for 40 years next season, will miss Friday’s FA Cup clash against Liverpool.

“Because they changed it to the Friday night I have a Townswomen’s Guild event that I have committed myself to,” she explained.

“If it had been the Saturday I would have been there.”

She paid tribute to the support of her husband and the groups that she works with — as well as the work of other volunteers in Oldham.

“I think I speak for all of us, we do not do it for the recognition but it is nice to be acknowledged.

“It is also good for the town as well. A lot of people do good work and it is recognition for the town of Oldham.”

Barbara was one of the first people to be nominated for a Pride in Oldham award when they were introduced in 2002.

The Rev Tony Grant, vicar of Holy Trinity Bardsley, praised her MBE and said: “It’s absolutely fantastic — well overdue. She has earned every bit of it.”

Christina Rees, secretary of Royton Townswomen’s Guild, added: “Barbara puts her heart and soul into everything. She doesn’t just idly sit by, she is a hands-on person in everything she does.”




veteran broadcaster Stuart Hall has been awarded an OBE for services to broadcasting and charity.



The popular sports journalist, originally from Ashton, is renowned for his football reports scattered with the works of Shakespeare.

An avid Manchester City fan, who celebrated his 82nd birthday on Christmas Day, was the original host of “A Question of Sport” and has since worked for “Granada Reports” and “North-West Tonight”.

Back in the 1970s he presented “It’s a Knockout” where he was very popular for his slapstick sense of humour.

He once said that he loved words like “chocolate, custard, crystal and iconoclast.”

Mr Hall now reports on football matches for BBC Radio Five Live.