Birmingham's Adrian Lester's OBE dedicated to family

Adrian Lester

Adrian Lester starred in the BBC1 hit series Hustle

Birmingham-born actor Adrian Lester has said he accepted his OBE for services to drama to generations of his family.

Hustle star Lester's parents moved to the city from Jamaica and said they had helped make Britain "what it is".

Other West Midlands honours include knighthoods for Aldridge MP Richard Shepherd and Christopher Stone, the head teacher of Birmingham's Arthur Terry and Stockland Green schools.

Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds, from Walsall, was also appointed OBE.

Dr Christine Braddock, the principal and chief executive of Birmingham Metropolitan College, has also been made a dame for her services to further education.

Lester, 44, said he was "really surprised" but "honoured" to hear he had been picked for the award in the New Year Honours list.

The BBC1 drama show Hustle, in which Lester played conman Mickey Bricks, was filmed for several series in Birmingham.

He said: "Coming from my background there was always this ethic that is very strong that people would do their best for the mother country."

Lead referee

David Corbett, 72, of Sutton Coldfield, was among others to be honoured in the list with a British Empire Medal for voluntary service to aquatic sport in the region.

Mr Corbett, who started volunteering as a timekeeper in the early 1980s, has acted as the lead referee for the past 18 years at the four-day City of Birmingham swimming competition, along with other national, county and regional championships.

Walsall's Ellie Simmonds has also been appointed OBE in the list

Kim Douglas, chair of the George Coller Memorial Fund, has also been awarded a British Empire Medal.

The award was given for her services to people with asthma, after establishing a process by which school nurses across Birmingham can provide specialised asthma care to all children.

Meanwhile, Wolverhampton couple Anthony and Muriel Hiles, who have fostered children since 1994 for charity Barnado's, have been appointed MBEs.

The couple, who have so far cared for more than 20 disabled children, have become experienced in caring for children with complex healthcare needs.

Other people in the West Midlands to receive honours are:

CBE

  • Michael Cashman, West Midlands MEP and co-founder of Stonewall, for public and political service.

  • Malcolm Harbour, West Midlands MEP, for services to the UK economy.

OBE

  • John Barwell, former president of the National Conservative Convention, for political service.

  • Richard Hill, for services to HM Revenue and Customs and for voluntary service with homeless people and young offenders.

  • Denys Shortt, founder of DCS Europe plc and now chair of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, for services to the economy in the West Midlands.

  • Robert Charles Yeomans, former head teacher of St John's Primary School in Walsall, for services to education.

MBE

  • Cherry Alexander, head of international competition at UK Athletics, for service to sport.

  • John Barnes, for services to the community in Birmingham.

  • Dorothy Buchanan, chair of governors at the Blue Coat Church of England schools in Walsall, for services to education.

  • Martin Burton, for services to the charity sector in the West Midlands.

  • Dr Anita Halliday. chief executive of the St Paul's Community Development Trust, for services to the community in Balsall Heath, Birmingham.

  • Pamela Johnston, for services to charity and to the community in Sutton Coldfield.

  • Dr Jackson Carl Kirkman-Brown, Birmingham Women's Hospital, for services to reproductive medical science.

  • Susan Lidington, founder of the Side by Side Theatre Company in Stourbridge, for services to people with intellectual disabilities.

  • Simona Novelli, operations director at Cox Exhibition Consultants Ltd, for services to International Trade.

  • Kim Lesley Popratnjak, principal of the North Birmingham Academy, for services to education.

  • Richard Stanton, firefighter with West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service, for services to local government.

  • Yvonne Stone, senior criminal investigation officer for Birmingham HM Revenue and Customs, for services to prevention of smuggling and asset recovery.

BRITISH EMPIRE MEDAL (BEM)

  • Elizabeth Allison, for services to Sutton Coldfield Civic Society.

  • Rose Cooke-Coton, for services to the community in Masefield, Birmingham.

  • Ranjit Singh Dhanda, lead for faith inclusion at the Nishkam School Trust, Birmingham, for services to education.

  • Robert Green, for services to the community in Bilston.

  • Robert Hunt, for services to the community in Birmingham.

  • Mavis Littleford, for services to charity in Wolverhampton.

  • Frederek Sylvester Mayman, for voluntary service to railway heritage in the West Midlands and Wales.

  • William Douglas Mellis, for services to the community in Bournville.

QUEEN'S POLICE MEDAL (QPM)

  • Surjeet Manku, chief superintendent at West Midlands Police.

QUEEN'S AMBULANCE SERVICE MEDAL (QAM)

  • Raymond Edensor, paramedic at West Midlands Ambulance Service.