IT was third time lucky at the end of 2004 for Margaret Morris, the highly popular chairman of Tenbury League of Hospital Friends.

Her name had been put forward twice before for an honour from the Queen.

At last, on New Year's Eve she appeared in the list of new Members of the Order of the British Empire.

Officially, her accolade was for "services to the community" but that concealed a lifetime of public service.

Known locally as "Matron Morris" she was matron at Tenbury's Cottage Hospital from 1966 to 1984 and was the driving force behind the Friends team, which raises funds to develop and improve health services.

"It's an honour for all the people I work with at the League of Friends and Age Concern," Ms Morris said modestly.

She is also president of the Tenbury Operatic Society.

As her honour was announced, Ms Morris was off to see in the new year with friends in Vienna.

Another new MBE is John Speed of Whitcliffe Wood, Ludlow, who retired in August as leading ranger with the Forestry Commission in Ludlow.

He had two other big reasons to celebrate as December 30 was the birthday of his daughter Samantha and his grand daughter Phoebe was six on New Year's Day.

"I feel very pleased and honoured. It was a surprise," he admitted. "But it's also recognition for the work of the Forestry Commission and the people I worked with. It's all about team effort and I could not have done it without all their support."

THE new year has proved to be a historic time for farmer and magistrate Robert Tilt.

He became chairman of the newly renamed South Shropshire Court and was also appointed an MBE.

"I feel very honoured," he said. "It's also an honour for the people I work with, the court officials and my fellow magistrates."

Mr Tilt, who lives at Ashford Carbonel, has been a JP since 1981 and chaired the Ludlow bench from 1997 to 2002. The name change, which took effect on January 1, follows a reorganisation of petty sessional divisions, in which the court takes in some country areas that were previously covered from Bridgnorth.

The court will continue to sit at Ludlow's ancient Guildhall and a proposal for a further name change, to Shropshire Marches, in 2006 has been dropped.