It’s an honour for local trio
Date published: 31 December 2012
FORMER Great Britain rugby captain Paul Sculthorpe was thrilled with his scrum-tious Queen’s honour.
The 35-year-old rugby league legend, who has captained both Britain and St Helens, has received an MBE for his services to rugby and charity.
Paul, who went to Watersheddings Primary and Counthill Schools as a youngster, signed for Warrington at the age of 14 and moved on to play for St Helens in a world record-breaking deal.
He now runs a coaching company and continues to work full-time at St Helens, with whom he won four grand finals, three Challenge Cups and two World Club Challenges.
Paul, who now lives in Orrell, said: “I was really pleased to get the letter. I was away at the Dubai 7s at the time so my wife opened it.
“When it came through the post it had the Queen’s emblem on the front so she knew it was something really good...or bad!
“I’m really pleased that I’ve also been acknowledged for the charity work I do for Steve Prescott Foundation as he is a good friend of mine.”
The Foundation, set up five years ago, has been raising money for The Christie and Try Assist Fund, after Steve was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Among his fundraising escapades, he carried the match day ball used in the Carnegie Challenge Cup from Catalan to Wembley, using the methods of cycling, dragon boat and running.
ALL-ROUND do-gooder Margaret Hardy is humbled to be recognised for her efforts.
The grandma-of-four from Diggle, will receive a BEM in honour of her community work where she lives.
A member of Saddleworth Mother’s Club and an active member of St Chad’s Church, Margaret, with help from her daughters, Karen Schofield and Paula Payne,raises copious amounts of cash for cancer charities.
This year they raised £1760 at a Macmillan coffee morning – the most they have ever made.
Margaret said: “I was absolutely shocked to get a letter with On her majesty’s service written on it – I really hadn’t expected it at all.
“I told my daughter I thought it was some kind of hoax!
“But now I’ve been told it isn’t, I’m really excited! I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone about it but now the news is out,” she laughed.
Margaret, who is 75 in February, was a Sunday school teacher for 50 years, where she was known as Mrs Sunshine.
She is particularly active with a group for elderly people called Amongst friends.
She regularly picks people up and takes them to church.
GREENFIELD Train Station’s Richelle Walsh is steaming ahead when it comes to good customer service.
The jolly rail worker was shocked to be acknowledged with a British Empire Medal.
Last year she won a trip to Amsterdam when she bagged a Northern Rail customer-service award and was also a finalist at the National Rail Awards in London.
The mum-of-two from Royton was even nominated for a Pride in Oldham award after travellers nominated her for her warm greetings on the platform.
She has been manning the ticket office for three years and saw it as her personal mission to keep the new building spic-and-span when it opened in February, 2009.
Richelle said: “I’m a bit overwhelmed really. I wasn’t expecting this at all and now I’m on a mission to find out who nominated me.
“It’s not every day you get a letter from the Prime Minister!
“I’ve been bursting to tell people but the letter was strictly confidential, so only Trevor, my husband knew.
“It must be something to do with my personality. I work there on my own and I just try to make sure people leave me knowing what platform to get on and I make sure they know where they are going. I just try to be as helpful as I can.
“To be honest the people of Greenfield are a pleasure to serve. I never have a day where I don’t want to go into work!”
Richelle has been invited to a special ceremony and will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace.
COUNCILLOR Paul Murphy, the last chair of Greater Manchester Police Authority before it was disbanded this year, received an OBE for his local and national policing work.
