This article first appeared in the Summer 2025 issue of Streatham Society News and is reproduced here with their permission.
Congratulations to Streatham’s Roger Bowdery who has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in King Charles’s Birthday Honours List. Roger, who lives in Babington Road, has served our community as an increasingly active, unpaid volunteer for almost 50 years. He has been a member of the Streatham Society for over 10 years, regularly attending and supporting their meetings and events. We are delighted with this well-deserved recognition.
Roger was asked to summarise the background to the award and he has kindly supplied the account below and the photograph.
“A Very Brief Summary:
Well, you can’t apply for an honour, you must be nominated. Unbeknown to me Keith Hill [former Streatham MP] had been beavering away in the background for some time compiling the original submission and letters of support from:
Lambeth School Governance Team
Bishop Thomas Grant School
Lambeth Independent Education Appeals Panel
Lambeth Schools Forum
Streatham Darby and Joan Club / The Woodlawns Centre
All three previous Streatham Members of Parliament
Education:
Governance:
Local School Governor for 48 years – 1977 to present.
Five years Chair of Governors Dunraven School.
Currently Governor of Bishop Thomas Grant School.
Education Appeals:
Panel member 30 years – 19995 to present.
Qualified as an Ofsted School Inspector in 1993 and invited to join the Lambeth Independent Education Appeals Panel in 1995. Longest serving member.
Lambeth Schools Forum:
Lambeth Schools Forum is a statutory body whose role is to ensure the funding from central government is distributed correctly. Served for the maximum four years 2015-2019.
Community:
Streatham Darby and Joan Club / The Woodlawns Centre:
The oldest and first Darby and Joan Club in the country. Invited to serve as a Trustee in 2008 and became Chair of Trustees in 2018. Trustee 17 years – 2008 to present.
Community: Organiser: Streatham Annual Armistice Day Service of Remembrance.
History:
Every year since 1922, with a short break 1939-45 and 2021 due to Covid, a service of remembrance, originally organised by the Royal British Legion, has been held at Streatham War Memorial. In 1992 Streatham Royal British Legion collapsed as the last members died and the South West London Branch of the Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women (AJEX) took over the organisation.
In 1995 Roger Bowdery, from The Office of Keith Hill MP, assumed responsibility for the organisation of the service. It has since grown from six wreaths being laid and a handful of old soldiers attending to over 500 people attending and over 65-70 wreaths laid making it the biggest civilian event of its kind in Lambeth, if not South London. 30 years – 1995 to present.
Apart from the medal and citation that reads ‘For services to the community in Streatham’ I also get an invitation to a Buckingham Palace Garden Party, the presentation of the medal itself and the use of the private Order of the British Empire chapel in St Paul’s Cathedral. Unfortunately, I do not get permission to drive a flock of sheep across London Bridge.
I am also advised: ‘The BEM is awarded for exceptional service within a local area, often for sustained volunteer work or innovative projects that have a tangible impact’.
But it’s nice to be recognised!
Roger Bowdery BEM”
I have known Roger for nearly 40 years and we have worked together on Education Appeals and the Board of Streatham Darby and Joan Club / The Woodlawns Centre as well as some other local activities. We have always got on extremely well, although we profoundly disagree when it comes to our politics! He is fully deserving of this Honour.
Simon Hooberman
Editor