Jewish Care

Bernard Sinclair receives MBE in the Queen’s Birthday honours list

Bernard Sinclair, one of the founders and the inspiration behind Jewish Care’s Redbridge Jewish Youth and Community Centre at Sinclair House, in Woodford Bridge Road, was “absolutely thrilled” to be appointed MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to the local Jewish community.

He said: “I was thrilled to hear I had been awarded an MBE – it really is a great honour. It gives me tremendous pleasure to see how Sinclair House and its services have grown over the years. We cater from babies to people of nearly 100 on daily basis, and the centre also contains Clayhall Synagogue.

“My involvement with Sinclair House goes back a long way to when I paid a deposit on the land in 1959. It was green belt land and there was on old prisoner of war camp opposite which is now playing fields. The centre itself opened in 1969 and consecrated by the late Chief Rabbi, Sir Immanuel Jakobovits

“I was chairman of Ilford Jewish Youth Club, one of the centre’s predecessors, and chairman of the merger committee. I am now president of the centre and a vice president of Jewish Care. I am also chairman of the Sidney and Doris Gold Community Trust Fund which sponsors young people to spend their gap years on programmes in Israel.”

A retired pharmacist, Mr Sinclair, 82, and his wife Valerie lived in Buckhurst Hill for 23 years but have since moved to Muswell Hill in north London.

In a letter to support his nomination, Daniel Carmel-Brown, until recently manager of Redbridge JCC, said once the centre was opened “Bernard did not rest on his laurels” and went on to describe the wide range of services established during his 30 year tenure as chairman of the management committee. Mr Carmel-Brown adds: “He is described by his peers as a charming individual with a common sense approach.” He also praised his “persuasive manner, caring approach and calm.”

Neil Taylor, Jewish Care’s director of community services and a former manager of Redbridge JCC, described Mr Sinclair as “inspirational. The MBE is a testament to his tenacity and his commitment to the local Jewish community. It is well deserved and I am delighted for him and Valerie.”