A volunteer who helped steer desperate people away from stealing food from shops has been awarded the British Empire Medal in the New Years Honours for his community work.

Goodeson Williams helps the unemployed and rough sleepers to use the Tottenham Food Hub as a place where they can drop in, have a coffee and a chat to talk about their problems as well as to collect food for themselves and their families — and giving them self-confidence to re-enter the workplace.

But he is best known for his door-step delivery service for people in Tottenham who were in isolation or sick during the pandemic.

It brought praise this week from another BEM holder, Pastor Jason Young from Tottenham’s Gospel Temple Apostolic Church. 

“The benefit Goodeson brought with his home deliveries reduced food poverty in the community,” the pastor said. “He has helped change desperate people from stealing in shops to receiving sustenance instead.

“His voluntary work also helped provided food for those who were unable to leave the house due to age, sickness or disability.

Enfield Independent: Goodeson Williams delivering food to people in needGoodeson Williams delivering food to people in need (Image: Gospel Temple Church)

“Goodeson’s impact with delivering food to the doorstep filled a hole in the lives of people who have been set back by unemployment.”

He also played a part getting the foodbank in Town Hall Approach Road a partnership deal with the M&S supermarket at Crouch End before the Covid crisis to become its ‘Local Charity of the Year’ so he could collect surplus food on a weekly basis.

The man people affectionately call ‘Goodie’ delivered food parcels to the doorstep during the pandemic and waited at a safe distance until the people receiving them collected their meals.

But he didn’t leave it there — he wound bring the food into their homes if they needed help if the bags are heavy. Some even invited him in for a cup of tea and a chat which helped reduce their loneliness.

The “local hero” delivered 446 meals regularly to more than 300 households in need — a third of a ton on each round. This helped those in social isolation or living alone and in need of human companionship during the crisis to have someone to talk to like ‘Goodie’.