Several local people have been recognised in the New Year Honours.
They include Brixton BMX founder Ken Floyde and Norwood and Brixton foodbank worker Elizabeth Maytom, who have been awarded MBEs – Member of the Order of the British Empire.
Lambeth librarian Zoey Dixon and charity volunteer Martin Beard also received MBEs.
Ken Floyde was a founder of Brixton BMX club more than 40 years ago. It now has its own track in Brockwell Park. Find out more about Ken and the club.
Elizabeth Maytom opened a foodbank in 2011, after believing at first that they were not really needed.
Now project lead for the Norwood and Brixton foodbank, in 2021 she spoke to the Financial Times about her work.
She told it that the food bank, backed by a group of churches, now delivers 60 to 70 parcels a day in cardboard boxes. “It doesn’t look like a charity package, it looks more like Ocado,” she said.
The food bank has never turned people away, although the wait for deliveries has sometimes been longer than it would like.
One of the organisations that works with the food bank is West Norwood based Centre 70, where another new local MBE, Martin Beard, is company secretary and health and safety trustee.
A solicitor, he has been involved for many years in voluntary legal advice work and with other not-for-profit organisations.
Centre 70, founded in 1970, supports and works alongside people facing social, mental, financial or other personal difficulties through a free and affordable services including advice, counselling, training and advocacy.
An MBE is not the only recognition of the work of Lambeth librarian Zoey Dixon, who was named a “Rising Star” by The Bookseller – the trade journal for the book world – in 2020.
She said: “The Bookseller and the book world know libraries play an important role growing and developing readers. Librarians do amazing work, we should be shouted about more!”
At a time when the straight, white males dominate decision-making in publishing is under challenge, Zoey’s roles in CILIP, the library and information association, and as a judge for national book prizes, as well as her activity in Lambeth Libraries and on social media, make her a voice for change.
