MATCHMAKING was not the reason that Steve Sharples was awarded his British Empire Medal in the New Year’s Honours list – but it was one of the happy outcomes of his “services to the Stourbridge community.”

Steve was a key player in the Amblecote community for many years, heavily involved in the patient participation group at the Three Villages Medical Centre.

He also set up a monthly Wollaston ‘tea party’ event for elderly or lonely people to come together and socialize.

And it was in that context that Steve’s matchmaking came to fruition.

“One day I went there and someone said ‘look, we’ve got a marriage’ and pointed to a couple who were 80 and 78.

“Someone else told me that after going to the tea parties they had more friends than they had ever had.”

It’s one of several fond memories that Mr Sharples, now 79, has of his more than 30 years in Stourbridge after moving there from his Preston home.

The former industrial engineer became very involved in the community and says of the town’s people: “The people want the best for those who live in the town.”

He says he was stunned when told about his award and at first felt: ‘Hey, this isn’t me.’

But looking back he accepts that he worked very hard for the people of Amblecote and Stourbridge generally, and particularly to improve their health and wellbeing.

Apart from his patient participation work and the tea parties, he helped organise a very successful annual flower show for local people with learning disabilities, stood for Dudley Council as a Labour candidate, and is also remembered for his campaigning to get the Caparo chemical plant to take action to reduce smell, noise and dust affecting local residents.

About 12 years ago he got an MA in photography and two years ago he and wife Barbara moved to Somerset, where he now lives.

But the couple are now actively considering returning to the town. “It’s a great place to live and I have many friends all over Stourbridge.”

The full list of local award winners

OBE

Christine Ann Hill. Headteacher, Westminster School, Rowley Regis. For services to Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. (Stourbridge)

MBE

Dr Paul Harrison. Clinical Director, Black Country Pathology Services. For services to Pathology in the West Midlands, particularly during the Covid-19 Response. (Stourbridge

Janet Olwen Lear. Founder and Headteacher, Black Country Wheels School, Stourbridge. For services to Education in the West Midlands. (Halesowen)

Haleema Yousaf. Team Leader, Fair Access and School Exclusions, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. For services to Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. (Solihull)

BEM

Louise Hadley. Section Manager, Marks and Spencer. For services to Customers and the community in Harborne, Birmingham during the Covid-19 Response. (Stourbridge)

Stephen John Sharples. For services to the community in Stourbridge, West Midlands. (Somerset)