Bay activist has date at Buckingham Palace to receive MBE
WELL-KNOWN Bay gender activist and head of Yokhuselo Haven, Lindsay Ziehl, has had to brush up on the do’s and don’ts of rubbing shoulders with British royalty for when she receives an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in London this week.
Ziehl is flying overseas tomorrow to receive the award at Buckingham Palace on Thursday.
“I received a very thick document explaining everything and listing what we can wear and how the ceremony will work,” Ziehl said.
She will be accompanied by two other women from the Bay – Antonette Hamman of Miglio Jewellery and young filmmaker Tamika Doubell.
“Tamika just finished her studies at the New York Film Academy and will make a documentary of all that happens so we can come and show it to the people of Port Elizabeth,” Ziehl said.
She also plans to use the trip to create awareness of the work being done at Yokhuselo, a shelter for women and children affected by domestic violence.
“I will meet the woman who is in charge of the anti-domestic violence initiative started by the Lord Mayor of London, Alan Yarrow,” Ziehl said.
One of the highlights of her trip will be meeting the “divine Mr Philip Treacy” on Wednesday.
Treacy, a famous hat designer based in London, has designed and made a hat for Ziehl to wear during her investiture.
“The hat will be auctioned later in the year at one of our functions,” she said.
Ziehl will wear designer black pants and a Chinese brocade jacket for the occasion.
She will not be seeing Queen Elizabeth II but is hoping Prince William will be handling the investiture.
“It hasn’t quite sunk in. I think the day I get there and walk in I will realise: wow, this is really happening. You kind of sit back and think, ‘how the hell did I get this’.
“There are so many people who do the same work in Port Elizabeth and South Africa. It is still very hard to put it in perspective.
“But I can’t stress enough that this [the MBE] is a team effort. This is an award for the people from Port Elizabeth. We [Yokhuselo Haven] would never have stayed open without them,” Ziehl said.