A Redbridge woman has been awarded an MBE for services to young people while a man from Chigwell has also been honoured with an MBE for his work supporting his community, especially during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Linda Diamond has been awarded and MBE following 35 years of dedicated service as a Jewish Lads’ and Girls’ Brigade adult volunteer, The UK’s oldest Jewish youth movement - founded in 1895.

Linda has run the JLGB band in Redbridge every week for over 30 years, impacting the lives of thousands of young musicians

Linda joined the JLGB as a young member over 40 years ago and went on to become an adult volunteer in 1985.

She said:“I feel very humbled and overwhelmed. I have never wanted recognition but wanted to give young people the opportunity to be involved in an amazing organisation that gave me so much during my teenage years and to ensure my own kids had the same experiences.

“There is nothing more rewarding than seeing young people have fun, build friendships, develop their skills and confidence, and grow into the next generation of leaders. I work with some amazing, dedicated volunteers without whom I could not have continued for so long and who also deserve thanks.”

JLGB Chief Executive Neil Martin OBE said: “Linda is a cherished JLGB volunteer and staff member, who is loved and respected in equal measure across our organisation. There can be no more uplifting way to mark the end of this extremely challenging year than Linda being awarded an MBE. I say this not just as JLGB Chief Executive, but as one of the many musicians Linda has inspired – she was my first ever JLGB leader when I was a teenager. Linda really is one of a kind and her care and dedication has shaped the lives of countless young people, in Redbridge and beyond. It is an absolute delight to everyone in JLGB that her unparalleled service has been recognised in this way.”

Rabinder Nath Bhanot has also been awarded and MBE.

The 60-year-old from Chigwell has been honoured for services to Wellbeing and Community Action, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the pandemic, within seven days he coordinated the daily cooking and delivery of 1,700 hot lunches to NHS staff, the homeless and self-isolating people who would otherwise struggle to get a old of fresh food.

In 2017, identifying the increasing number of heart attacks within high risk Black and Minority Ethnic groups, he co-founded ‘Make It Beat,’ - the first national charity that provides free Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training to community groups in four South Asian languages. He has been instrumental in raising £19,000 for the charity and training a large number of adults in CPR.