Selfless pillars of North East communities are honoured
A STRING of honours have been handed out to people in the North East in the New Year honours list.
They include former Sunderland footballer Gary Bennett, a patron for Show Racism The Red Card, who is being awarded an MBE .
Here are the stories of some of the other North East recipients.
BRIDGET STRATFORD MBE
Bridget Stratford, 25, from Ponteland, Northumberland, is made an MBE for services to refugees and asylum seekers, particularly during the pandemic.
She is the driving force behind North East Solidarity and Teaching (NEST), a student-run volunteer group at Newcastle University.
NEST helps to provide refugees and asylum seekers with one-toone English teaching, group English classes, sports, creative arts and outdoor trips.
NEST delivers regular classes to around 400 members from across the North East.
Bridget said: “When I was a third-year undergraduate at Newcastle University, I got an opportunity to support one of the Syrian families relocated in Gateshead. I went on to become more involved and became project leader.
“I have learnt so much from doing this work. It’s a real privilege.”
ANYA FRANCIS MBE
Anya Francis, 48, of Hetton-le-Hole, is being made an MBE for services to young people through swimming.
She is a coach at Hetton Amateur Swim club and has helped to grow the club’s role in the community, with more than 100 regular members.
When some of the club’s younger swimmers wished to enter a competitive league, she offered to manage it. They started at the bottom of the junior league but soon reached fourth out of 18 teams.
During lockdown, she helped to fundraise through bingo, raffles and quizzes.
Anya has been doing all this work voluntarily whilst juggling a full-time job as a civil servant.
MARGARET TIERNEY GREGG BEM
Former nurse Margaret, 80, of East Boldon, South Tyneside, is being honoured for services to asylum seekers and refugees.
She is the secretary of South Tyneside Asylum and Refugee Church Help (STARCH) and has become known for her valuable voluntary work providing practical and emotional support.
She said: “If you get a child or a family, and see what’s happened to them and how they want to find a better life, you would want to help. None of us would want to be stuck like that.
Speaking of the award, she said: “It’s going to be very special. It is the same year as the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. But this is not just for me, it’s for all the people that I work with. It’s really good recognition for everybody.”