Community leader: Mickey Lincoln shows off his borough recognition award

Mickey Lincoln, 52, has campaigned to improve the lives of thousands of residents in Barking and Dagenham for eight years. Here, the dad-of-six, of Shaw Avenue, Barking, tells how a community meeting he attended almost two decades ago put him on a path that led him to the top of Barking and Dagenham Tenants’ and Residents’ Federation.

When my wife and I married and moved to Scrattons Farm Estate in Barking 18 years ago, I attended our Tenants’ and Residents’ Association (TRA) meeting, and then, when the current chairperson at that time decided to retire, I was asked to carry on as no one else wanted the job.

I had become very interested in what the TRAs could achieve for the local community, so agreed and was duly elected. That was many years ago and I have been the chairman since then.

With a family of six children between us, and seven grandchildren, it has sometimes been very difficult to juggle the work.

Now medically retired, I used to work for Hackney Council in the transport department. This also gave me an insight into the work of borough councils.

Our local tenants’ participation team, who are dedicated to helping TRAs, invited me to attend a meeting of the Tenants’ and Residents’ Federation, which is the umbrella group for all the boroughs TRAs.

To cut a long story short, eventually I was elected as chairman of the federation, and I have now been in this position for eight years and have thoroughly enjoyed the job.

We have a social side to the federation as well, and regularly hold social nights including the whole community.

We hold a conference for all tenants in the borough every year and helped out at Dagenham Town Show. Sadly this year was the last one.

The work is hard, but very rewarding, as there is a great sense of achievement when we can help a tenant to resolve any issue they may have.

This revolves around many problems, such as rubbish collection, tenancy problems, neighbourhood problems, and many others.

My personal motto is ‘I personally cannot resolve your problem, but I know a man who can’.

I have been awarded a borough achievement award from the council, of which I am immensely proud.

I hope to continue to help the community despite having on-going and escalating health problems, as I think that a community can make a difference, when everyone works together.