Shrewsbury Chronicle editor John Butterworth has been honoured by the Queen in her New Year’s honours list.
John, who has worked in the newspaper industry for 35 years, has been given an MBE for services to journalism and charity.
The 54-year-old father of two said: “I am absolutely thrilled and humbled by the honour. This is definitely the biggest achievement of my career.”
John has been an editor for 23 years, including 11 at the Chronicle.
He has launched a series of appeals which have raised more than £4 million for charities, including Lingen Davies, Macmillan, Severn Hospice, Red Cross, Hope House and a diabetes centre at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, plus specialist equipment for the stroke unit there.
Previously John was editor on the Bromsgrove Advertiser/Messenger for nearly eight years where the paper successfully raised money for nine charity projects
“It is a tribute to the enthusiasm of all the young reporters who have helped with the charity appeals and to the generosity of the readers of both papers,” he added.
As well as launching newspaper campaigns, he has headed up a project sponsoring five eye camps in a remote part of Afghanistan in his role as a Reader in the Church of England.
He is planning on taking his 83-year-old mother, Sylvia, and his wife Jan to Buckingham Palace to collect his award with him in the spring.
l See page 3 of the Shrewsbury Chronicle, January 3, 2008 for more.