AFTER a lifetime of helping others - a Stourbridge charity manager has finally retired at the age of 85.

Joe Green has been working to help brighten up the lives of the borough’s elderly for the last 17 years as centre manager at Age Concern Stourbridge and Halesowen’s Elton Centre which provides meals and activities for the over 50s.

The octogenarian, whose energy and enthusiasm for his job belies his years, first started helping out at the centre by St John’s Church as a volunteer - drawing on his background running a coach firm to set up a holiday club, organising activity breaks for seniors keen to enjoy a spot of sailing, abseiling and archery.

But after the then centre manager David Rowlands stepped down - he was asked if he would take on the role at a time when most people would be thinking about or taking retirement.

Stourbridge News:

Seventeen years on - he’s finally decided it’s time to take things a bit easier. He said: “I’ve been helping people all my life. I’m looking forward to a rest."

Dionne Legge, chief officer at Age Concern Stourbridge and Halesowen, praised Joe’s dedication to the charity and said: “Everything he’s done here has been amazing. Since he’s been here he’s built up the activities and relationships with so many people. I’m going to miss him dreadfully.”

Before he became involved with the charity, Brierley Hill-born Joe was a marketing executive for Merry Hill - having been headhunted by the Richardsons in the shopping destination’s early days.

Prior to that he'd spent many years running family coach firm Green’s Tours and Travel in Brierley Hill after serving in the Royal Air Force.

At Merry Hill he introduced the first minibuses to the centre; his travel background also steered him towards launching black cab taxi firm, Waterfront Cars, which was the first in the area to introduce wheelchair adapted vehicles and which is still in operation years after he sold the business.

Joe also ran a chauffeur service from The Copthorne - driving the hotel’s VIP guests to venues in Birmingham. Lenny Henry, Dawn French, Tommy Steel and Wet Wet Wet’s Marti Pellow are among the stars he had the pleasure of driving. He said: “I used to host all the VIPs that came to Merry Hill."

He was also responsible for driving coaches for the showbiz football team when they visited the Midlands and he said: “I became very friendly with a lot of the very old stars and still maintain contact with quite a few.”

Joe also served three terms as a Conservative councillor for Brierley Hill town from 1958 and since 1962 he’s been president of Brierley Hill and District Committee for the Welfare of the Blind, which was founded by his father Joseph Green.

Multi-talented Joe has also had a long time passion for playing the piano accordion which he’s brought out on many occasions to entertain visitors at events at the Elton Centre, which he said a fond farewell to on Friday December 23.