First came the World Cup call-up for his footballer grandson and now he's got a gong - life can't get any better for Joe Walcott.

The former RAF serviceman and grandfather of up-and-coming England player Theo has been awarded the OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.

The award recognises his services to the community of Carterton and west Oxfordshire.

Mr Walcott, 79, who lives in Carterton with wife Loretta, served in the RAF for 34 years and as a civil servant at RAF Brize Norton before being struck down by heart problems in 1995.

As soon as he was back up on his feet, he won seats on Carterton Town Council and West Oxfordshire District Council, which he has held ever since.

A former chairman of West Oxfordshire District Council, Mr Walcott could not hide his excitement at being recognised and said he planned to phone 17-year-old Theo as soon as he could.

The twice former mayor of Carterton, who is originally from Jamaica, said: "My whole family will be very proud.

"It's been a very good time for us as of late.

"I have seen and had input into the way west Oxfordshire has developed and especially Carterton.

"I don't do it for honour or reward, I do it because I like people and I like serving people it's what I've done my whole life."

Dr Robin Buxton, 56, was born in Uganda but grew up in Oxford and studied at the department of zoology at Oxford University. He has been honoured for his services to conservation.

He has been involved with the Northmoor Trust since 1982, was head of the Oxfordshire Nature Conservation Forum for 12 years and secretary of the Berks, Bucks and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust for eight years.

Mr Buxton, whose roots are in academic research, lives in Harwell.

He said: "I am very flattered. None of the work I have done would be possible without the staff, trustees, advisors and volunteers working for these organisations.

"Without their contribution it would be nothing."

Two years ago, Helen Hamilton received the highest honour the Royal College of Nursing can bestow. Now she has been awarded the CBE.

Mrs Hamilton, of Duns Tew, near Banbury, received a RCN Fellowship for revolutionising intravenous care of patients facing surgery.

The impact of her work, and her training of other nurses, radically reduced infection and complications for patients, and led to the development of a new community-based intravenous team, which also provides outpatient care in people's homes.

For 20 years she worked in intensive care at the John Radcliffe Hospital developing intravenous nutrition. Now she advises staff at the county's five hospitals.

Oxford physicist Professor Carole Jordan, receives the DBE for her research into the ultra-violet and x-ray spectra of the sun and stars.

Prof Jordan, 64, Wolfson Tutorial Fellow in Natural Science at Somerville College since 1976 and professor of physics at Oxford University since 1996, said: "I'm surprised and delighted."

She was elected to the Royal Society in 1990 for her research which advanced understanding of the outer atmosphere of cool giant stars.

Wallingford man Christopher Spence has dedicated more than 30 years to the voluntary sector and community.

The chief executive of Volunteering England has been made a CBE. He is also president of CEV, the European Volunteer Centre, and chairman of the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.

Mr Spence said: "It recognises not only my contribution to the sector, but also the work that many other people in Volunteering England and beyond have done to move forward the strategic development of volunteering."

Mr Spence was awarded the MBE in 1992 for his services in the field of HIV and Aids.

Professor Tom Burns, who holds the chair of social psychiatry at Oxford University, has been awarded the CBE.

His main area of interest is the provision of care for severely long-term mentally ill patients outside hospital.

Prof Burns, who lives in Chalfont Road, north Oxford, said: "I'm delighted by this recognition but it does come as a surprise because I work in an area of mental health which is rather unglamorous."

He ran an Assertive Community Treatment Team for psychotic patients in London and has taken over one in Oxford.

Acting Chief Constable Sara Thornton, of Thames Valley Police has been awarded the Queen's Police Medal. She took over from Peter Neyroud in January.

Peter Bridges, 68 who has been a magistrate since 1971, has won the MBE for services to the Oxford community.

The former managing director of Oxford's City Motors, was chair of the Oxford Magistrates Bench for three years and has been chairman of Oxford Youth Panel for three years.

He was the first chairman of Trax, which teaches youngsters about mechanics to divert them from offending behaviour.

Mr Bridges is also chairman of the Oxfordshire Family Mediation Service based in Headington, lay chairman of the Oxford Deanery and does voluntary work at St Peter's Church, Wolvercote.

Robert Wadsworth, from Bicester, the incident support unit manager at Carillion Highway Maintenance was awarded the OBE for services to road safety.