A TIRELESS community activist has spoken of her pride after being honoured by her contemporaries.

June Goodchild has spent more than 20 years fighting for improvements in her Easterside community when she decided to tackle anti-social behaviour and a lack of children’s facilities on the Middlesbrough estate.

And to mark the impact she has had on the area a commemorative plaque was unveiled at the Easterside Community Hub today (Wednesday, January 30).

She said: “It was lovely to see all the people that I have worked with over the years and it really means a lot to me that my work has been recognised by those people.

“It is such an honour to have a plaque unveiled and a room named after me at the community, the fact that it has come from the community makes it even better.”

Her many achievements included a successful campaign for CCTV cameras, reductions in anti-social behaviour and school absenteeism and the development of the successful Eco Easterside project.

The Easterside Partnership now runs thriving youth clubs, supports a credit union, works with adults to improve access to training and employment and holds regular events for local children, families and older people.

Mrs Goodchild was awarded the MBE in the 2007 New Years Honours for services to the community in recognition of her outstanding work.

Unveiling the plaque, Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon said: “I have known June Goodchild for almost 20 years and during that time she has worked extremely hard for the community of Easterside and Middlesbrough as a whole.”

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