A throng of well-wishers chanted “Hear, hear!” to cheer on long-time lakesider Ceri Dando as he was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for meritorious service bestowed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during a reception for British Ambassador to Mexico Duncan Taylor held on Sunday, October 20.
The event took place at the Lake Chapala Inn, hosted to perfection by proprietress Alicia McNiff. The ambassador and his wife Marie-Beatrice received a warm welcome as they mingled among 50-odd compatriots who have settled on Lake Chapala’s shores. Also on hand for the occasion were Chapala Mayor Joaquin Huerta. Ajijic administrator Hector España and Mark Seibel, chief of American Services at the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara.
Dando is well known and admired for his philanthropic contributions to the community, including dedication to educational programs for local children and more than a decade of steadfast leadership of the Lakeside British Society.