Grace Doreen Kempster. (Photopress)

The New Year ushered in an impressive collection of honours ranging fromknighthoods to MBEs for people in Croydon.

Sir Lyndon Jones, principal of Harris City Technology College inNorbury, was particularly pleased to receive his knighthood and lookedforward to sharing the news with his terminally ill mother.

"She is in hospital and I am sure this will cheer her up no end,"he said.

Sir Lyndon, who has been working in education for 33 years, was at thehelm of Harris City Technology College when it topped the 1997 leaguetable of schools that had shown the most improvement.

He said the honour reflected the amount of hard work which had been putin to the school by students and staff.

"I am from a mining family and education has meant a lot to us. Ihave been privileged to pass on those values and been able to help giveinner city children better life chances," he said.

Also honoured was Croydon man Nazar Mustafa from Paul Gardens for hiswork promoting Muslim education throughout the country.

His organisation, the Muslim Education Co-ordinating Council of UK,provides free support and financial help to enable children achieve theirambitions.

"Muslim children have special needs that are not always understoodor catered for," he said.

"I am very grateful to receive this honour as it shows my servicesto my community have been recognised."

Another recipient of an award was Grace Doreen Kempster from FarleighRoad in Warlingham.

She said she was thrilled to receive an OBE for her services to Croydon'slibraries.

An OBE also went to Croydon's Kenneth Harrison, Head of The MiningPolicy Section at the Department for the Environment.

MBEs were awarded to a number of people, such as: Samuel Sykes fromCroydon for his work for the National Association for the Care andResettlement of Offenders in Lambeth; Evelyn Willis from Thornton Heath, apersonal secretary at the Department of Trade and Industry; Roger Ballfrom Croydon, an administrative officer at the Home Office; Angela Pintofrom Thornton Heath, senior personal secretary for Customs and Excise.

Joyce Daniels from Thornton Heath, and Curtis Francis from South Norwoodalso received MBEs for services to community relations.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.