ACTOR Richard Briers is to confer life membership of the Parkinson's Disease Society on a local branch stalwart.

Society president Mr Briers, who is currently appearing in The Tempest at the Festival Theatre, will perform the ceremony in Malvern today (Friday).

The rare honour is being bestowed on Arthur Burgess in recognition of his 12 years of service to the Worcester and District branch of the Parkinson's Disease Society.

His wife, Joan, will also receive a certificate of recognition for her contribution to the work of the society, which includes helping sufferers and their families, collecting and disseminate information about the disease and providing funds for research.

Mr Burgess, 72, said he was proud to accept the honour.

"I'm chuffed," he said. "It doesn't happen to everybody and it's the first award in Worcestershire that I know of."

Mr Burgess said he hoped the award would help raise the profile of the society.

"Once something has been highlighted it will help things and excite people to join us as volunteers," he said.

The Worcester and District branch covers most of south Worcestershire and grew from humble beginnings in Malvern in 1988.

Mr Burgess, of St John's, Worcester, was inspired to take an active role by his wife, who suffers from the degenerative disease of the central nervous system. He became a member in 1990 and has been secretary of the branch since 1991.

When Mr Burgess joined, the branch had a mailing list of nearly 40. This has now grown to 600.

Mr Briers will meet members from Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Herefordshire at today's event as part of a 'Meet the President' tour at Malvern Theatres.

Parkinson's is associated with trembling of the arms and legs, stiffness and rigidity of the muscles and slowness of movement. A third of those affected go on to develop senile dementia.