Park volunteer 'absolutely baffled' by honours nod

An 87-year-old who has led a team of volunteers in a country park for 34 years has said he is "absolutely baffled" to receive a British Empire Medal in the King's Birthday Honours list.

Don Bannister said he started working in Severn Valley Country Park in Shropshire in 1991 because he was looking for something to do after taking voluntary redundancy.

He is one of six people from the county to be recognised in the list and said: "It won't change anything for me, I'll just carry on working until I drop."

Other Shropshire honours recipients include a "dedicated litter picker", a gymnastics coach and an RAF fundraiser.

Mr Bannister said he was drawn to volunteering at the country park, close to Bridgnorth, because he was "very keen on nature" and was friends with the head ranger.

The former mining site was transformed into a country park three decades ago and in 2022 a tree was planted there to honour Mr Bannister's lifelong commitment.

He leads a team of 30 volunteers who look after the 126-acre park and has also overseen successful bids for more than £30,000 in grants.

In recent years he has scaled back his own role but said: "It keeps me going, it finds me something to do."

Jim Diggory from Nesscliffe has also been conferred a British Empire Medal for services to the community.

He said he had lived in the same area since he was a child and had been "into community things since I was in the Cubs".

Mr Diggory added he was "pretty chuffed" and did not realise his work, which included planting trees, organising litter picks and fundraising for sculptures, was appreciated so much.

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