Ex-Doncaster councillor awarded MBE

He was awarded the honour last week at Windsor Castle in the Queen’s Birthday Honour’s list in 2020. Awards ceremonies resumed in June after being halted during the pandemic.

The ex-councillor for Town Ward is a well-known and highly respected former local politician who represented Doncaster communities between 2005 and 2018.

John said after the ceremony: “I am extremely proud to have represented the residents of Doncaster over many years.

"This is such an unexpected honour, I am very grateful and humbled.

"Despite being retired, if I can help a local resident or a community group, I will always continue to do so.”

Originally from Ireland, John came to England in 1966. During his early years in Doncaster, he met his wife Mary, now deceased, and they had three children, all of whom have settled in the local area.

His early career was in Education as a student teacher at Edlington before he moved into a Personnel Management role. John quickly found that his interpersonal and communication skills made him an excellent negotiator. He subsequently became a trade union representative and assisted the Trade Union Congress at a national level.

His skills led to invitations to join the Doncaster District Health Authority Board and the South Yorkshire Police Authority.

Mr McHale has been heavily involved in fund raising for the Doncaster Cancer Detection Trust for many years and has a reputation for his outstanding contribution in assisting the most vulnerable members of the Doncaster borough obtain the help and services they require in their time of need.

The former councillor has a huge network of community contacts that span age, ethnicity, religion and gender. He maintains regular contact with many of the community projects he has helped coordinate. These cover a wide spectrum of health, wellbeing, sport, arts and culture.

Since his retirement, John is a keen reader with a special knowledge of nature and wildlife. He enjoys photography, paintings, musicals and theatre.

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