74:, on Pagnell Street and named it Pagnell Street Centre (later changed to Moonshot) The club operated out of an old mission hall in Pagnell Street and it became a community centre for local black people, with academic classes, a lending library, dances, a football team, daytime drop-in classes and support for young mothers and social evenings for the elderly. However, the center was destroyed one night in an arson attack by members of the right-wing extremist National Front. Sybil Phoenix vowed to rebuild it: "My name is Phoenix and I will build a new center from the ashes of this club, so help me God". Four years later, in 1981, the Prince of Wales was present for the grand opening of Moonshot, the new Pagnell Street Centre, the first purpose-built community centre for black people in the UK.
48:(now Guyana), where she grew up. When she was nine years old her mother died, after which Sybil lived with her grandfather until his death when she was 12, and then with an aunt and uncle. After leaving school she became secretary to the minister of the church as well as helping in the church youth club, where she met her future husband in her early twenties. She was also a classically-trained singer. She and her fiancé Joe Phoenix moved to England in 1956, and married in June of that year. They experienced racism in London.
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to forge links between peoples of all faiths. While based at
Clubland Methodist Mission on Walworth Road in South London, Sybil Phoenix was instrumental in setting up anti-racist training for members of the clergy, known as the Methodist Leadership Racism Awareness Workshop (MELRAW) and as Director
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project for single homeless young women aged from 16 to 21, and in 1979, the project was named the Marsha
Phoenix Memorial Trust, in memory of her own daughter, who died in a car accident in 1974.
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by Guyana in 1987. Sybil
Phoenix also worked for the Community Liaison Scheme, and as Vice-Chair of Lewisham Council for Community Relations. In 1993 she was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by
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to discuss a memorial to those killed in the fire; Ruddock has described Sybil
Phoenix as "one of Deptford's remarkable black community leaders".
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in 1961. She also became a community worker, providing support for unwanted children. In recognition of her work in
Lewisham she was awarded the
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28:; 21 June 1927) is a British community worker of Guyanese birth. She was the first black woman to be awarded the
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of 1981. The
Moonshot Club was the venue for the first meeting after the fire. In 1999 she contacted MP
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Sybil
Phoenix was involved in community support and activism following the
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237:"Phoenix, Sybil | A Brief Personal History of Life in Guyana: 1927–1956"
610:"This website celebrates the achievements of Sybil Phoenix MBE MS"
548:"This website celebrates the achievements of Sybil Phoenix MBE MS"
161:"This website celebrates the achievements of Sybil Phoenix MBE MS"
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718:, Marsha Phoenix Memorial Trust website; accessed 14 May 2017.
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239:, Local History and Archives Centre, Lewisham, 7 August 2014.
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Pioneers of Social
Passion: London's Cosmopolitan Methodism
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local preacher for many years, working closely with the
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In 1971 she founded a youth club for black teenagers in
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she took this work to many countries around the world.
504:"Stop and search: the way forward - conference report"
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to it so that it can be listed with similar articles.
255:"Sybil Phoenix: building the first black youth club"
334:Charlotte Bates; Alex Rhys-Taylor (11 April 2017).
612:. Catford Girls' School. p. 5. Archived from
550:. Catford Girls' School. p. 2. Archived from
163:. Catford Girls' School. p. 3. Archived from
596:"Sybil Phoenix, Freeman of the Borough, turns 80"
506:. Lewisham Community Police Consultative Group
752:, guyanesegirlsrock.org; accessed 14 May 2017.
692:Living in harmony: the story of Sybil Phoenix
526:"Safer Stronger Communities Select Committee"
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821:Officers of the Order of the British Empire
734:"loving hands - the story of Sybil Phoenix"
636:"(Cab Office) Queens Birthday Honours List"
131:Honorary Freeman of the Borough of Lewisham
701:, by Brian Frost with Stuart Jordan (2006)
428:The Caribbean & West Indies Chronicle
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188:, Moments in Time – I Rise, 7 March 2018.
126:for her services to the local community.
118:for Guyana, and for this was awarded the
836:Guyanese emigrants to the United Kingdom
697:"Sybil Phoenix and racism awareness" in
452:"New Cross: the blaze we cannot forget"
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211:Ramsden, Heather (28 September 2004).
186:"Sybil Phoenix OBE – community leader"
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95:Sybil Phoenix's life has been used in
88:She has contributed to research about
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340:. Taylor & Francis. p. 31.
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51:Sybil Phoenix started fostering for
40:Sybil Theodora Marshall was born in
716:Mrs Sybil Phoenix MBE MS: a profile
407:. Institute of Race Relations. 1975
307:"Community champion: Sybil Phoenix"
129:In 1996, Sybil Phoenix was made an
774:needs additional or more specific
736:, Vimeo.com; accessed 14 May 2017.
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59:in 1972. In partnership with the
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450:Howe, Darcus (17 January 2011).
124:Goldsmiths, University of London
723:"Beyond Slavery: Sybil Phoenix"
477:"29 Mar 1999 : Column 808"
337:Walking Through Social Research
826:People from Georgetown, Guyana
665:"Sybil Phoenix honoured again"
642:. 14 June 2008. Archived from
133:, and in 1998 was awarded the
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740:"The Documentary" (episode 2)
371:A Group of Young Black People
135:Freedom of the City of London
431:. West India Committee. 1979
374:. Policy Studies Institute.
114:She occasionally acted as a
108:British Council of Churches
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116:Minister without portfolio
61:London Borough of Lewisham
574:"Freedom of the Borough"
528:. Lewisham Council. 2012
483:. House of Commons. 1999
284:www.marshaphoenix.org.uk
746:; accessed 14 May 2017.
688:by Sybil Phoenix (1992)
682:by Sybil Phoenix (1984)
667:, I Rise, 17 June 2008.
694:by John Newbury (1985)
502:Jameson, Jill (2007).
368:Stephen Small (1983).
280:"Marsha Phoenix: Home"
18:Sybil Theodora Phoenix
259:The Methodist Church
213:"Legend in her time"
102:Sybil Phoenix was a
79:New Cross house fire
616:on 10 November 2007
554:on 10 November 2007
311:Windrush Foundation
167:on 10 November 2007
97:Black History Month
640:WhitehallPages.net
576:. Lewisham Council
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787:adding categories
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347:978-1-317-20167-0
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831:1927 births
32:, in 1973.
810:Categories
795:March 2022
776:categories
404:Race Today
145:References
42:Georgetown
104:Methodist
72:New Cross
36:Biography
783:help out
53:Lewisham
26:Marshall
781:Please
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580:2 April
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24:(née
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376:ISBN
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342:ISBN
318:2021
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224:2021
173:2010
785:by
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139:OBE
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30:MBE
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