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UEL Psychologist Sarah Davidson awarded MBE for services to British Red Cross

Wednesday 18 June 2008

A University of East London (UEL) psychologist has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list in recognition of her thirty year service to the British Red Cross.

Dr Sarah Davidson, Deputy Clinical Director on UEL’s doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology, acts as Psychosocial Advisor for the Red Cross, guiding the delivery of emotional support to people in crises through a range of services in the UK and internationally.

Sarah, who will collect her award at Buckingham Palace later this year, is a former Vice-Chair of the charity and has been involved in countless crisis response programmes at home and abroad.

In recent years, Sarah has aided recovery after the Asian Tsunami, the 7/7 bombings, and the capsizing of a dhow in Bahrain, among many other traumatic events. She has also advised on numerous smaller scale incidents, including the recent Biggin Hill air crash, and regularly works with staff and volunteers providing services to refugees.

Sarah said: “I feel very humbled to have been awarded this honour; what I’ve been doing is really no more than what many others do for a cause they feel passionate about.

“I’m very proud to have been part of the British Red Cross for the last thirty years. I’ve also been at the University of East London for exactly ten years and with the NHS for twenty, so 2008 is clearly a very significant year for me.”

The School of Psychology at UEL is one of the UK’s leading centres for postgraduate professional psychology training, offering specialist programmes in Clinical, Counselling, Educational, Occupational and Positive Psychology. For further information, visit www.uel.ac.uk/psychology.

The British Red Cross is part of a global movement supporting people in crises. For further information, visit www.redcross.org.uk.

For details and pictures contact Daniel Cherry: 020 8223 2194

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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