Grandfather appointed MBE for charity work (From Harrow Times)

Stanmore grandfather appointed MBE for charity work at Mary Hare Deaf School, Newbury

1:48pm Tuesday 19th June 2012 in News By Anna Slater

The 78-year-old says he was devoting so much time as a governor of school, that he was forced to retire from his day job

A grandfather has been appointed an MBE for spending his retirement years helping a school for deaf children.   

Hugh Ogus, of Spring Lake, Stanmore, was also given the honour for helping set up a diploma in lighting studies and establishing a charity to fund a university degree in the subject.

Mr Ogus retired from his job running a lighting company more than 15 years ago and still acts as the vice president of governors of the Mary Hare Deaf School, in Newbury. 

  The father-of-two said: “I first became a governor of the school in the Seventies, because a colleague of mine helped found the school, as his son was profoundly deaf. 

  “I helped develop it into quite a big school and now it is thriving. I am very proud of the way it is.” 

  The 78-year-old says he was devoting so much time as a governor of school, that he was forced to retire from his day job.    He was then promoted from school governor to vice chairman two years ago.

    Mr Ogus, who has two grandchildren, Sophie 15 and Michael, 12, is also credited with helping to save a Master’s degree course in lighting design at UCL university, by setting up a charity with other lighting manufacturers.

    The team then developed a long-distance diploma at Southbank University, which has been running since 2000.

    His wife found out he had been awarded the honour when she accidentally opened his post six weeks ago, but he was sworn to secrecy until one minute past midnight on Saturday morning.   

He said: "My children, Deborah and Simon, were delighted for me and it was great to see my grandchildren so proud of me. 

  “I don’t get paid for anything, but that’s how charity works. I do it for the love of the job, nothing else.”