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OBE for Race Worker

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 7 January 2002

Ralph Straker, JP, who retired in 2001 as a race relations worker in the Diocese of Southwark, was awarded the OBE in the New Year's honours lists for services to community relations. He is also a magistrate and a former member of the Board of Visitors of Holloway Prison.

Ralph, 65, worked for the Southwark Diocese Race Relations Commission from 1991 to 2001. He helped with youth conferences, the annual Black Forum (now Black and Minority Ethnic Forum), and youth exchange visits between the Diocese and its link dioceses in Zimbabwe.

Having emigrated to Britain in 1956, Ralph Straker worked as a London Transport bus conductor for eight years before joining the Post Office in 1964. In 1973 he moved to the Hackney Council for Racial Equality as Deputy Senior Officer.

He comments: "Within three years of arriving in London I started to give voluntary assistance to Barbadians living in Haringey, Islington and Hackney. The need soon increased to a point where I felt it necessary to work full-time in this type of work. I appreciate this honour and I am especially glad that it reflects on the contribution to London society by many Barbadians and others."

He became a Toastmaster / Master of Ceremonies in 1962 and was chosen as Toastmaster when Her Majesty the Queen was visiting Barbados in 1981. He was made a Justice of the Peace in 1982 with the North Westminster Bench, transferring to the Juvenile Bench in 1984 and later also the Family Bench. He was a member of the Board of Visitors of Holloway Prison, 1994-2001. He has been a voluntary verger at St Paul's Church, Finchley since 1966, and is now Assistant Verger at St Clement Dane's Church in the Strand.

Diocesan Communications Officer
Tel: 020-7939 9400
Mobile: 07831-694021
Fax: 020-7939 9468