Michael Sayer from Bodham in King Charles III's honours list

Michael Sayer, 84, from Bodham, near Holt, has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for 65 years of services to the community in the village he has lived his entire life.

“I feel very humbled and a real sense of pride,” Mr Sayer, who lives with his wife Mary, who he has been married to for 55 years, said.

“I would say I’ve done a lot in the community over the years, and I still try to do my small bit to help the village.

“I was born in Bodham and I’ve always taken pride in being a part of supporting the village.”

Known locally for his voluntary work to preserve the village playing fields, Mr Sayer first became involved in the Bodham Village Playing Field Committee at the age of 15 – continuing his fine work for more than 65 years.

He became chairman of the committee in 1995, a post he held until May 2023.

Mr Sayer has worked tirelessly to maintain and improve the playing fields, overseeing projects such as the addition of adult training equipment, floodlights to enable events to take place on the fields all year round, and professional gardening and field maintenance services.

He has personally engaged with two local football teams, who now use the playing field as their home ground, which he has helped fund by organising a range of fundraising events, including weekly car boot sales, the annual village firework display and the annual Rock Bodham musical festival.

During his chairmanship, the Bodham Village playing Field Committee raised tens of thousands of pounds for both the field and a range of groups in the village.