FORMER Aston Villa chairman ‘Deadly’ Doug Ellis declared himself ‘‘over the moon’’ at being awarded a knighthood in the Queen’s New Year Honours.
Sir Doug, who is 88 on Tuesday, has been honoured for his support of hospitals, cancer charities, sports projects and children’s charities over many years. He is among scores of Midland winners whose work in their communities and for charity has been recognised.
Speaking to the Birmingham Post and Mail from his second home in Parma, Majorca, Sir Doug said: “I am delighted beyond measure. I came from a humble background. There was no silver spoon, so to receive this honour is fantastic.
“I was born in Chester but the West Midlands is where I’ve brought up my family, where I achieved my success in business and where most of my employees during my business life have been based.
“War time service in the Far East brought home to me just how little some people have and I have always tried to give something back. It has been a privilege for me to help so many local institutions and charities to further their work and influence, particularly with an accent on youth and sport.”
Among charities he has supported are NSPCC, Childline and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. In 2004 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and two years later sold Villa to American Randy Lerner. He was awarded the OBE for services to football in 2005 and remains Life President of Aston Villa.
Last year Bimingham City University named its Perry Barr sports centre after him and in October Aston University followed suit by dedicating its Woodcock Street centre in his honour.
Sir Doug added: “I started out offering prizes for charity raffles and became more involved. I now receive about 20 requests from charities a week, I can’t respond to all of them but try to help three or four a week.”
‘Deadly’ Doug made his fortune as a pioneer of the package tour industry in Birmingham during the late 1940s and 1950s and first became Aston Villa chairman in 1968. His nickname was a result of his reputation for sacking managers. In 2004 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and two years later sold the club to American Randy Lerner. He was awarded the OBE for services to football in 2005 and remains Life President of Aston Villa.
Villa chief executive Paul Faulkner said: “Everyone at Villa would like to congratulate Sir Doug on his wonderful award, which is a fitting tribute to a man who has given so much to the Midlands over the years.”
City-born actor David Harewood, who has won plaudits for his roles on stage and screen, has scooped an MBE in the New Year’s Honours.
The 45-year-old, originally from Small Heath, is best known for his role as Friar Tuck in the BBC Robin Hood series. He also appeared as Captain Poison in the 2006 Hollywood hit Blood Diamond and received the honour for his services to drama.
A former pupil of Washwood Heath School, Harewood, the son of a long-distance lorry driver, was brought up in a council house, the youngest of four children.
Former Formula 1 racing driver Nigel Mansell, who was born near Birmingham and was resident in Hall Green for many years, is made a CBE for his work as president of UK Youth.
Shirley grandfather-of-one Leslie Mosley, who is receiving an MBE, was the duty manager at Forward for Work, in Nechells, since it was created in 1982 to support learning disabled adults through a three-year training programme and then into employment.
Mr Mosley, aged 64, went on to devote 29 years’ service providing real working vocational training in engineering, manufacturing and even potato peeling, earning himself the title of Mr Fix It.
He’s getting an MBE for services to Birmingham’s disabled people, having also been responsible for health and safety at Forward for Work’s Inkerman Street base, along with new starters’ inductions and information technology and computers.
Mr Mosley, who retired through ill health last year, said: “I miss the trainees a great deal. I still speak to lot of the people there on the internet and I’ve got around 60 friends from there on Facebook.
“The most pleasure I ever got in my job was 20 years ago helping get a guy a job at Birmingham Airport. He got a job there working in a team repairing runway lights – so people were relying on him to get his job right.”
He added: “I always had the feeling that disabled people were short-changed in life, so when I saw the job at the newly-established Forward for Work advertised in the Birmingham Mail nearly 30 years ago, I decided to have a go.
“I was there right from the start and was introduced to the Queen at the official opening – maybe I’ll be meeting her again this year, but I don’t suppose she’ll remember me.”
Midland Queen's New Year's Honours round up>>>>