IT WOULD be fair to say Kenneth Norman Batley has had quite a year so far.

Days after he found out he was to be awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list for his work for Age Concern Chalgrove and countless other good causes, the charity’s minibus was vandalised beyond use in a thoughtless attack.

In the months that followed, the 88-year-old said he was “overwhelmed” when the community in Chalgrove raised more than £4,000 for the charity to get its minibus repaired.

And, days after they found out they finally had enough money to cover the cost, Mr Batley was presented with with his MBE in a unique, personal ceremony by the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire Tim Stevenson at one of the charity’s Tuesday lunch clubs for the elderly.

Mr Stevenson had never performed the ceremony before but made the special visit on Mr Batley’s request, and more than 150 regular diners, charity trustees and family and friends watched the presentation on April 28.

Mr Batley, a former worker at Pressed Steel, Cowley, worker who has lived in the same house in Brookside, Chalgrove, with his wife Joan since 1955.

He said: “It was wonderful. I’m very proud, of course, but it’s not really for me, it is all the people who have helped me over the years. I just bullied them into it.”

Among the services to the community for which he was honoured, Mr Batley has been vice-chairman of Chalgrove Parish Council since 1991.

He has been a trustee of Chalgrove Scouts, served on the committee of Chalgrove Amateur Dramatic Society and was treasurer of Chalgrove Royal British Legion for more than 20 years. He joked: “You name it, I’m on it.”

He first encountered Age Concern Chalgrove when the parish council asked him to sit in on the group’s meetings as an observer.

He ended up joining as a trustee and has been with it for more than 10 years. Mr Stevenson said: “For half a century Ken has been a lynchpin in the village. Everything that happened he was a part of.

“He is an outstanding example of what an individual can do in their community in terms of volunteering.”

The minibus is now in the garage getting its final repairs, and is due to be back on the road soon.

Mr Batley said the show of support over the minibus was typical of Chalgrove: “There is something about the village. You say you need volunteers and they come rushing from all directions.He added: “What has been wonderful lately is that " Since it was put out of commission, the rota of drivers have been using their own cars to get people to lunch.”

The charity said when it got the minibus back it was thinking of parking it on the village green with a notice attached saying “thank you” to the whole community.