Suffolk's former darts world champion Keith Deller has spoken of his delight at becoming an MBE in the New Year's Honours List.
He received the honour for his charity work over the last 41 years since winning the world crown - but accepted that it was his sporting success that allowed him to put something back into society.
He said: "I was absolutely thrilled to get the MBE. I have really tried to do what I can to help charities over the years - but I know it was the darts that got me to this position.
"I've done the charity work with exhibitions and various events because of the darts. Before that I was working in bakery in Ipswich!"
Over the years as well as taking part in charity events he has always offered help in other ways by offering darts or international shirts.
He said: "I was in the England team 15 times and the shirts we were given were just shirts to me - but if they could be auctioned for charity or given as a draw prize that was great."
Over the years he has raised huge sums for charity - including £500,000 for breast cancer research.
He was just 23 when he won the World Championship in January 1983 - and while that was his only world crown he won other events and was an international for much of the 1980s.
Keith is still involved in darts today. He is a "spotter" for Sky Sports at the World Championships at Alexandra Palace in north London and is back on duty there this week.
That gives him the chance to remain part of the darts world - and also to know today's stars.
He has watched the rise of teenage sensation Luke Littler, the 16-year-old who has knocked out some big names on the way to the quarter finals.
Keith said: "He is very young to have achieved what he has - you have to remember that the youngest ever winner was Eric Bristow at 22.
"If Luke takes another three years he'll still be only 19 and all the time he is gaining experience of the biggest tournament."
But Keith said there are still younger players working their way through junior tournaments.
"There are 11 and 12-year-olds showing real talent - in a few years time they'll be challenging, so Luke won't have it all his own way!"
Keith himself still plays in veterans' tournaments and is one of 32 stars who will be competing in the World Seniors Darts Championship at Purfleet in February.
"We have to be over 50 and most of us do exhibition events that kind of thing - but there are a few who are still taking part in events like the World Championship and they tend to be very competitive."
After he became World Champion in 1983 Keith moved nearer London - but a few years later he moved back to Suffolk.
"This is where I'm at home and most of my work is based here," he said.
When work commitments allow he likes to get to Portman Road as often as possible - he's been a keen Town fan since childhood and in the 1970s was a ballboy during Bobby Robson's glory years.
He said: "It's great to see the team doing so well again. You have to remember they've only just come up from League One and all the teams around them now were in the Premier League last year and have huge parachute payments behind them."
So for Keith 2023 has ended on a real high and he's now got one more aim in the New Year: "I've got to have a word with the TV people to put MBE beside my name in the credits at the darts," he joked!
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