Former Wanstead and Woodford Guardian chief reporter Sara Dixon has been honoured for her work by London Mayor Ken Livingstone.

Sara was presented with a London Day Award for her positive contribution to the city made through her travel stories in the paper.

Last year Sara spent six months travelling the Far East and kept readers up to date with her adventures in her Girl About Asia column.

Sara meets Ken Livingstone
Photo: Wanstead and Woodford Guardian

She is now taking time out from journalism to write a book about her travels.

Sara said: “I approached editor-in-chief Martin Oldaker about the idea of writing a travel column.

“I wanted to tell the story of the whole journey over the six months I was travelling but make each column a discreet story in itself.

“It was something very different for a local paper to do and it was very farsighted of Martin to allow it. It was great for the readers as everyone likes to read stories about foreign countries and the award is an amazing validation of it all.

“I wanted to veer away from clichés and make the columns very real by telling stories behind the stereotypes.

“We’ve all got stereotypical images of places – for instance my image of China was one of a very poor, rural country with people spitting on the street and of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

“But when I arrived in Beijing it was just like London except I did not understand one word.”

Sara started her journey in Bangkok and continued through south east Asia before changing her plans and heading through Mongolia.

She said: “Mongolia holds incredible memories for me as an astoundingly beautiful country. What stands out is how much nothing was how I expected it to be.

“Crossing the border from Thailand to Cambodia was such a stark difference. Thailand was a place of complete order and neatness where as Cambodia was absolute chaos with everyone trying to rip you off and motorbikes on the road that looked as if they were held together with bits of string and chewing gum.”

Sara says she hopes to return to regional journalism after she finishes her book. She estimates it will take another four months to complete and is still looking for a publisher.

Wanstead and Woodford Guardian editor Leigh Adams said: “Sara was nominated for the award because it was felt she was contributing to London by still doing her job but unveiling things to people that they might not otherwise read about.”

• London Day is when the Mayor of London pays tribute to extraordinary Londoners who have made a difference to life in the capital.

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