MBE honour for actress Brooke Kinsella fired by tragedy to fight knife crime

Published: 17th June, 2011
by PETER GRUNER

BROOKE Kinsella – actress sister of murdered Holloway teenager Ben – has been appointed MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Others from Islington similarly honoured include disability campaigner Jean Willson, who received the OBE, Town Hall Lib Dem opposition leader Councillor Terry Stacy, who was awarded the MBE for services to housing, and Evelyn Martin, who was made an MBE for working with elderly people over 38 years.

Following the murder of her brother in 2008, Ms Kinsella led a campaign against knife crime and wrote a moving book about the effects on her family. 

Ben was at a pub off North Road, celebrating the end of his GCSE exams, when he became the innocent victim of an argument and was knifed 11 times. The three killers were given life custody with minimum terms of 19 years. 

Ms Kinsella was made a government advisor last year by Prime Minister David Cameron. Her task was to determine whether projects aimed at tackling youth violence were working.

King’s Cross disability campaigner Ms Willson, 68, was last year voted a Woman of the Year at an event attended by actresses Julie Walters, Sheila Hancock and Patricia Hodge.

Dame Helena Kennedy QC handed over that award for her work with children with learning difficulties.

Ms Willson, who coped with her daughter’s disability at a time when there was very little support, was described as “inspirational”.

Her daughter, wheelchair-user Victoria, now 40, is so severely disabled that her only means of communication is by raising her eyebrows or making sounds.

Her story – and the courage of the Willson family – was recognised in a documentary film made by the government three years ago to highlight the positive achievements of disabled people.

Ms Willson, a qualified social worker from Cornelia Street, Barnsbury, also wrote a book about Victoria, titled Home at Last.

Cllr Stacy’s award recognises his 20-plus years’ service to housing in Islington, London and across the country. An Islington councillor since 2002, Cllr Stacy, 39, was deputy leader of the council from 2006 to 2009 and leader from 2009-2010. 

He has worked at several leading housing associations, where he specialised in community development and estate regeneration projects. Until recently, he was a tenant inspection advisor to the government’s Audit Commission. 

Cllr Stacy chairs one of London’s newest housing associations and is himself a housing association tenant in Highbury.

He is the first tenant to be appointed to the Board of the National Housing Federation, which represents the housing association sector.

He has recently been re-appointed to the Board of the Independent Housing Ombudsman as it expands its remit to take on council housing complaints as part of the government’s localism agenda.

Fellow Highbury East councillor Julie Horten said: “His passion for improving social housing is as strong now as it ever was. Terry has never forgotten his roots and the opportunities social housing has given him.”

Cllr Stacy said of the honour: “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine after more than 20 years fighting to improve housing that I would receive an award like this.”

Ms Martin’s MBE recognises her compassion and skill when working with elderly people with complex needs. The 66-year-old, who works 365 days a year for Islington Home Care Service and still finds time to visit the gym daily at 6am, is a branch equalities advisor with the GMB trade union and a former TUC shop steward. 

“When I saw ‘Her Majesty’s Service’ on the letter I thought I was being called up for jury service,” she said. “When I opened it and read it I nearly fainted with the shock. For a long time I thought it was a prank. 

“It’s still sinking in. My daughter is especially pleased. In her spare time she cooks and distributes food to the homeless and raises funds for her church in Stoke Newington.” 

Islington Council Labour leader Councillor Catherine West said: “Evelyn’s positive contribution to the lives of elderly residents in Islington cannot be overestimated. 

“Her enormous care and support have allowed many older people to remain with independence and dignity in their own homes. Hers is typical of the spirit and character of so many Islington people who have made significant and often selfless contributions to the lives of others. 

“We will continue to champion these individuals via the honours programme and through our Mayor’s civic awards and ‘community heroes’ scheme.” 

An Islington Council Staff Member of the Year in 2010, Ms Martin is a governor at Moreland School in Finsbury.

Islington resident Graham Marchant was awarded an OBE for services to the arts. The consultant has produced numerous reports for the Arts Council, notably plans for a Royal Opera House in Manchester in 2009.

Modupe Debbie Ariyo, founder of the charity, Africans Unite Against Child Abuse (Afruca), based in Essex Road, Islington, received an OBE, as did Sandra Riley, a speech and language therapist at Richard Cloudesley School in Bunhill.