A Darlington man has visited Buckingham Palace to collect his MBE from the Queen.
Alan Charlton was given the award in the New Year Honours List for services to the community in Darlington.
He has worked with several groups in the voluntary and charitable sector in the town.
He was Darlington's citizen of the year in 2004, is senior vice-president of the Rotary Club, in Darlington, and chairman of the Friends of Darlington Memorial Hospital.
He said: "The day was something very special in anyone's life.
"It was a wonderful occasion and the Queen was absolutely delightful. She smiled all the time and asked about the work that I did."
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