FROM a small ex-colonial island more than 4,500 miles away, Clive Warren told The Crow this week about his joy at receiving an OBE in the New Year honours list. The 60-year-old from Green Drift, Royston, was on holiday with his wife Dorothy on the South A

FROM a small ex-colonial island more than 4,500 miles away, Clive Warren told The Crow this week about his joy at receiving an OBE in the New Year honours list. The 60-year-old from Green Drift, Royston, was on holiday with his wife Dorothy on the South Atlantic island of St Helena - where he has worked to improve the economy and aid development. "I'm thrilled to bits, of course," said Mr Warren on receiving the award for his work at the Government's Department of International Development. "Helping poor people around the world seemed like a challenging and rewarding job when I started my career. "Forty-one years on, having seen first-hand how life is for millions of people in the world, I'm sure I made the right decision." Mr Warren retired from his post as Head of the Overseas Territories Department last November, after 41 years of managing UK development aid to poorer countries. He said: "At the time I started my career overseas, aid was a completely new concept. "My work has mainly entailed managing UK aid to poorer countries, mainly in Africa and Asia." Mr Warren's career has taken him to many former British colonies, including Montserrat, which was devastated by a volcano eruption in the mid-1990s, and Pitcairn - an island in the South Pacific with a population of just 47. However, he believes his crowning achievement has been his work on St Helena. "St Helena is just 47 square miles in size," said Mr Warren. "It has no airport and it is not on the normal shipping lanes. Its community of about 4,000, known as the Saints, rely on the last remaining Royal Mail ship for all their links with the outside world. "Its nearest port of call is Ascension Island, which is about two days away by ship. "Last March the department accepted a case prepared by my team to build an international airport on St Helena. "This will replace the ship when it is withdrawn around 2010. "This is a major decision for the island, and one of which I feel particularly proud." Mr Warren's wife Dorothy is from St Helena, and currently works as an immigration judge in the UK. He believes they will always return to St Helena, but says the UK is their first home. "Dorothy is a Saint, having been born and brought up in St Helena," he said. "At the moment we're both enjoying a holiday in St Helena to celebrate my retirement. "We will return to Royston in March where we look forward to a celebration with my daughters. "I've lived in Royston for more than 25 years, and I think it's a super town." Mr Warren's 29-year-old twin daughters, from a previous marriage, Carrie and Josie, are both overjoyed at their father's achievement. Carrie Warren said: "He fully deserves his OBE after all his hard work over the years. "He always ensured he put 100 per cent in to his work and worked very long hours. Thankfully all his hard work has paid off, both in terms of his OBE and the countless people overseas whom he has touched through his foreign economic aid efforts. "Now, during his retirement, may he and Dorothy, enjoy many more holidays to come on St Helena, which he has served so well and done so much for throughout his working life." And after more than 40 years of hard work Mr Warren is enjoying indulging in some leisure time. He said: "Satisfying though my work has been, it has also been stressful and hectic. "I am looking forward to more time for relaxation.