UPSTANDING members of the south Bucks community have been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.

Michael Phelan, of Penn Road, Beaconsfield, said he was surprised to receive an OBE, after he was acknowledged for his services to the Roman Catholic Church.

The 65-year-old has just retired as chairman of the internationally circulated Catholic weekly magazine, The Tablet.

The periodical is independent of the Catholic church and can be critical in its views.

Mr Phelan said: "I was on the board for 22 years and took over as chairman nine years ago. It was founded in 1840 around the time as The Spectator magazine, and probably has a circulation close to that of the Bucks Free Press."

A former broker in London, Mr Phelan was recruited to the magazine board for his business expertise.

He is a member of St Teresa's church in Beaconsfield, and is currently studying for the Roman Catholic Permanent Diaconate. He hopes to be ordained next year.

On top of this, Mr Phelan is a trustee and consultant to the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales, and is a visiting lecturer and PhD theology research student at the University of Surrey.

Mr Phelan, who is married with four daughters, said he had to keep the award a secret from everyone but his family until it was publicly announced.

He said: "I was told it was confidential and not to be disclosed on the pain of it being taken away."

He added that the award was a recognition of the great team he had worked with on The Tablet.

He said: "I think a part of this is for my colleagues. It was very much a team effort."

The work of Pauline Griffiths, a music teacher from Amersham, was also recognised with an MBE.

Mrs Griffiths, 76, has been teaching in the Chilterns for more than 40 years.

She was commended for her dedication in encouraging music-making in both young and old.

Mrs Griffiths described her reaction to opening the letter from Downing Street.

She said: "I didn't know anything about it. I burst into tears. You feel honoured because I feel 50 years' work has come to fruition. Music has been my complete life and has been the one thing I always worked at."

Hilary Ann Warner, from Chalfont St Giles was also awarded an MBE for her services to the community.

George Cox, from Gerrards Cross, was also knighted in the birthday honours. He formed IT consulting and research company, Butler Cox in 1977.