A COMMUNITY volunteer from Uxbridge and a Holocaust survivor from Northwood were among those recognised in the New Year Honours.

 

Sarah Gardner BEM

Sarah, 42, from Uxbridge is the founder of Serving Our Superheroes.

She has worked in numerous voluntary roles, including helping out at the Hillingdon homeless shelter, working with Marie Curie Cancer Care and Macmillan at Work.

She has been an instructor for the Army Cadet Force, a St John Ambulance first aider, a Hillingdon Improvement champion and a fund-raiser for charities in Uganda and Thailand.

During Covid, she helped those on the frontline of the NHS through setting Serving Our Superheroes, rallying a group of volunteers to make laundry bags for frontline staff’s uniforms, thus reducing the risk of spreading infection at home.

These handmade bags (1700 plus), as well as toiletries were given out to healthcare workers in hospitals and care homes.

This sewing group also went on to make Hickman line belts for babies having chemotherapy.

Sarah arranged for wash bags containing basic essentials to be distributed to the homeless as well as books and other fun distractions for those confined to their homes.

 

Freddy Berdach BEM

Freddy, 91, from Northwood, is a Holocaust survivor who shares his testimony through the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Outreach Programme.

He has led the way within the survivor community by mastering video technology, sharing his testimony to hundreds of people via Zoom and other video platforms.

In this way, he has not only spoken to students, as well as adults in local government, to give a better understanding of minority communities.