Leathermarket JMB Chair John Paul Maytum has been awarded an MBE by Her Majesty the Queen in recognition of how much the JMB has achieved for its residents and the community of Southwark London #SE1.
Leathermarket JMB Chair John Paul Maytum at his home on the JMB’s Lawson Estate
The citation for the honour read : Member of the Order of the British Empire: John Paul Maytum, Chair Leathermarket Joint Management Board, for services to the community in Bermondsey
The award recognises the tremendous advances that the JMB has made over recent years, improving the quality of homes and services for its residents and, in April 2013, becoming the country’s first self-financing Tenant Management Organisation (TMO).
John Paul said: “While I’m delighted to be honoured by the Queen in this way, this award isn’t really for me but for the hundreds of my friends and neighbours who have given countless hours over the last 17 years to make Leathermarket JMB what it is today.
“By standing together as residents we’ve been able to harness the skills, ability and commitment of the people who live in our homes to transform the quality of all our lives.
“I’ve seen how much our homes and estates have improved over the last few years, with major refurbishments to almost all of our homes and environmental improvements that have made our estates some of the finest in Southwark. In the last year we’ve been acclaimed as the country’s foremost resident-managed housing organisations and hosted visits from housing & community groups and even a Government Minister to show off our work.
“Now we’re working with the Council to tackle one of the most pressing issues for our residents – the need to develop new genuinely affordable council-rent homes in and around our estates, through the establishment of the Leathermarket Community Benefit Society.
“It’s so wonderful to see everything that we’ve done at the JMB recognised with this honour. We’ve worked really hard for this and I know that all the residents, staff and friends of the JMB will share this trememdous accolade.”
Leathermarket JMB is a resident-run housing organisation running 1500 council homes in London between London Bridge and Tower Bridge on behalf of the London Borough of Southwark. John Paul is a council tenant who lives on the JMB’s Lawson Estate, in London SE1. He was elected by fellow residents to become a director of the JMB in March 2006 and became Chair of the JMB in October 2006.