A GOSPEL concert organised by a Broadwater Farm resident honoured by the queen for being a community champion helped raise valuable funds for vital equipment for children with genetic conditions like sickle cell and Thalassemia.

Warm-hearted pensioner May Richards, awarded an MBE in 2009, has dedicated her life to nurturing children who she calls the "men and women of the future" after not having any of her own.

After retiring from her job as a machine operator, the 79-year-old decided it was the perfect opportunity to throw herself into doing something positive for the Farm – the affectionate name for the Tottenham housing estate.

She founded the charity gospel concert held annually at the Broadwater Farm Community Centre, in Adams Road, which marked its 10th anniversary and also coincides with Black History Month.

Ms Richards described the 500-plus crowd who flocked to the hall to enjoy the evening of uplifting music – which carried the theme Peace, Unity and Love - as a "joy to see".

The passionate children's campaigner said: "I just love children. I don't have any of my own so I am happy to do what I can to improve the quality of life of the children in my community.

"I am no professional, and I don't like to commend myself, but I want to offer young people a choice. I want to show them another way of living their life, beyond guns and knives, and to show other people the other side of Broadwater Farm. To me, it is the best estate in the world.

"I was not raised a party person. I was raised a Christian and gospel music is what I know so that is what I bring to the table. I think it is something everyone can enjoy. October is Black History Month, and gospel music dates back to the hard times our people have experienced. They turned to gospel music because it is music that lifts your spirit. When things go well, it is a way of giving God thanks.

"It's not like this modern Dancehall music that is coming out of the West Indies now and helping to support bad and unfair stereotypes about Jamaican people. Like I said, there is always two sides to the coin."

So far, a total of £1,157.70 has been raised but Ms Richards said the final figure still needed to be confirmed with the group of organisers who help stage the event.

The money will be donated to North Middlesex Hospital who have earmarked the funds to purchase blood transfusion equipment in its children's department.

Donations included £250 from Homes for Haringey's Decent Homes contractor, Apollo, and £77 raised through an auction of an Eastenders street sign bearing the signatures of all of the BBC show's stars.

Special guests attending the event included Elizabeth Nicol, deputy High Commissioner for Ghana, Haringey mayor Eddie Griffith, Dr Olu Wilkey, of the North Middlesex Haematology Department and featured performances from Jimmy Mack, Yvonne Curtis, Golden Chords and the Christians Together in Tottenham choir.