Are you looking for an inspirational speaker or compere for 2025? – Patrick Vernon OBE
Are you looking for an inspirational speaker or compere for 2025? – Patrick Vernon OBE
At Raise the Bar, we understand that diversity and inclusion are not just buzzwords but are crucial aspects of a thriving and successful workplace. And it’s an area we love supporting our clients with to help them create a positive and innovative work environment.
Patrick is also founder of Every Generation Media and 100 Great Black Britons, which develops education programmes, publications and films on cultural heritage and family history. Patrick was made Pioneer of the Nation for Cultural History by the Queen in 2003.
He is a leading expert on African and Caribbean genealogy in the UK. Patrick was a leading campaigner for a national Windrush Day for the last 10 years. He also played key role in campaigning for the Windrush Generation in helping to expose the scandal with over 180,000 people signing his petition for an amnesty for the children of the Windrush Generation in 2018. He also launched the Windrush Justice Fund with JCWI to support grass roots and community organisations help victims resolve their legal status and claim government compensation scheme.
Patrick is also Independent Adviser on Equality and Diversity for Lambeth and Harrow Council. He was the first director of Black Thrive a mental-health multi-agency tackling mental health in Lambeth, former non-executive director of Camden and Islington Mental Health Foundation Trust, Health Partnership Coordinator for National Housing Federation, former Director of Afiya Trust, Chair of Westminster Race Equality Partnership, Committee member of Healthwatch England, NHS England Equality Diversity Council, Director of Brent Health Action Zone and Regional director for MIND.
Patrick is a former Councillor in Hackney from 2006-2014. Patrick is currently chair of Citizenship Partnership for HSIB and Non-Executive Director for Hertfordshire NHS Trust. Patrick was awarded an OBE in 2012 for his work on tackling health inequalities and ethnic minority communities. In 2018 he received an honorary PhD from Wolverhampton University and was selected as one of the 1000 Progressive Londoner by the Evening Standard. In 2019 he was awarded lifetime achievement award for campaigning and advocacy work by the SMK Foundation. In 2020 Patrick was selected by British Vogue as of Britain’s top 20 campaigners and was included in the 2020 Power list of 100 influential Black People in Britain. Patrick is also co author of the success best seller 100 Great Black Britons.