THRILLED, wonderful, magic! were just some of the superlatives used by Dorothy Clarke on becoming an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday honours.

The 85-year-old from Pedmore has been recognised for her services to elderly people in the Black Country.

Dorothy has been running her pensioners' group at St Peter’s Centre in Pedmore Lane for almost 30 years.

For the past 12 years, she has also run another group in Little Cornbow, Halesowen.

She said: “I feel so happy running the clubs and enjoy it so much, that I think it was something I was born to do.

“Many of the members at my clubs live on their own and it can be a lonely life. It’s company they need and I want to give them something to look forward to.

“I’m lucky to have a staunch group of supporters whose feelings are exactly the same as mine “I’m absolutely thrilled about getting this award. I’ve known about it for the past six weeks and I’ve been dying to tell people, but couldn’t.

“I’m just an ordinary person and you don’t think things like this will happen to you.”

Dorothy and her husband Terry didn’t arrive in the Black Country until 1967.

She explained: “We travelled around because of Terry’s work before he was made principal building surveyor for the former Sandwell Metropolitan Borough.

“We spent the first ten years in Halesowen before moving to Landsdown Road.

“At one time we lived in County Durham where I set up a club for miner’s wives. I’m delighted to say the club is still going.”

Dorothy is no stranger to awards.

In 2009 her Pedmore Senior Citizen’s Club won a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

And she recalls: “That award was for the club and I was invited to a garden party at Buckingham Palace. It turned out to be a horrendous day because of the weather and the garden party was called off, it was so bad.

“I think this time, it will be inside. It will be magic to meet the Queen. I’m an ardent Royalist and meeting the Queen will probably be the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me.”