Page 73 - 2018 Powerlist

NEW Baroness
2018 Arts, Fashion & Design
Floella Benjamin
Peer, House of Lords; policy maker;
campaigner for children’s rights

‘National treasure’ is an overused moniker, but if anyone
deserves the title it is surely Baroness Benjamin.
How many members of Parliament can claim to have
combined the roles of policy maker and political campaigner
with actor, children’s TV presenter, author and independent
producer? It is all credit to Baroness Benjamin’s formidable
talents and universal appeal that she makes the unusual
transition from Play School to Parliament seem perfectly
natural.
Appointed to the House of Lords seven years ago, she has
made it her mission in Parliament to campaign on diversity,
equality, education, media and children’s welfare.
The first black female Chancellor of a UK university, she
stepped down from the helm at the University of Exeter Reverend Rose
after a decade last year. During her tenure, Exeter became
a top-10 Russell Group university and a top-100 world- Hudson-Wilkin
ranked university. This year a bronze bust was unveiled Chaplain to the Speaker of the
on campus in her honour, making her the only living black House of Commons
person in British history to have their own public statue
commissioned.
Baroness Benjamin started her career in show business The Reverend Rose is the first black person to hold the
nearly 50 years ago, first appearing in hit stage musicals position of Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of
including Jesus Christ Superstar before moving into TV Commons.
dramas for the BBC and ITV. She is best known as presenter The 79th cleric in that role, she was appointed by Speaker
of the iconic programme Play School. John Bercow in 2010.
Since 1973 she has been campaigning for diversity both As the House vicar, her role involves conducting daily
in front and behind the camera and now advises the BBC prayers in the Chamber of the House, conducting a weekly
and other broadcasters on their diversity policies. She Eucharistic service in the chapel and conducting weddings,
campaigned for 20 years for a Minister of Children, which marriage blessings and baptism of Members of Parliament.
became a reality in 2003. She is also responsible for the pastoral care of members and
She is also Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Groups on staff of the Palace of Westminster.
a Fit & Healthy Childhood, and Children’s Media & the Arts. In June 2016, she provided much needed spiritual comfort
and solace to MPs following the tragic killing of MP Jo Cox
and conducted a Service of Prayer and Commemoration in
her honour.
She is priest in charge of St Mary-at-Hill in the City of
London, as well as Chaplain to Her Majesty the Queen and
Honorary Chaplain to Roedean School.
She was previously vicar of Holy Trinity Church, Dalston,
and All Saints Church, Haggerston, where she famously
staged a rooftop protest on the church with her curate
to highlight the need for funds to repair the fabric of the
building.
Born and raised in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Rev Rose is
also a trustee of the Trusthouse Charitable Foundation, and
has served as a trustee for the Society for the Promotion of
Christian Knowledge (SPCK).
She has served on the Broadcasting Standards
Commission and, as a member of the General Synod of the
Church of England, is one of the Panel of Chairs of
the Synod.
She has twice represented the Church of England at the
World Council of Churches and as a Selection Secretary for
the Church of England, has helped to select men and women
seeking to test their vocation to the ministry. She was
also Chair of the National Committee for Minority Ethnic
Anglican Concerns (CMEAC).

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