Category: Community Engagement
She was born in Zimbabwe and came to the UK to train as a Nurse in 1971.
She became a Registered Nurse and retired after 35 years. She has been a Labour party member for 21years and a Councillor for 18 years representing Plaistow North.
Councillor Joy Laguda
Councillor Joy Laguda
Since becoming a Councillor she has held numerous posts. She served on the Education Committee and then she was a Lead member in Plaistow Community Forum, working with the wider community to ensure that the issues in the area were tackled. She was the first black Councillor to be a Civic Ambassador and a first citizen of Newham and held this post with dignity and integrity in and outside the Borough, and she was also awarded Freedom of the City of London.
She held the position of Executive member for Older People and Adults and sat in the Cabinet from 2005 till 2012. She was a Governor of numerous schools in the Borough since 1995, and was on the Curwen Primary School Governing Body for 16 years also. She has been very much involved in the changes that are happening in Newham. As a lead member in Adults, she introduced the Warm Centres, whereby Older people can go to Community Centres for different activities in winter, thereby encouraging social interaction, and also reducing energy consumption, in their homes.
She was awarded the MBE in 2010 for work in the Community. Currently she is the Chair of Council, and Mayoral Advisor for Safeguarding Adults in Newham
She has made a significant difference in Newham to all the communities that she is in contact with. She takes her responsibilities as a Councillor very seriously, and does her surgeries as required. She has been a member of UNISON for over 25 years.
Councillor Joy Laguda is married, to a retired Gynaecologist and they have 5 children and 8 grandchildren. She enjoys watching soaps and entertaining guests and assisting people in need.