Patrick Vernon Receives Trailblazer Award from Unite the Union
Patrick Vernon Receives Trailblazer Award from Unite the Union
Patrick Vernon has been deeply honoured to receive the Trailblazer Award from Unite the Union as part of its Black History Month celebrations.
Although Patrick was unable to attend the Black History Month Gala Dinner in October 2025, it was a real pleasure for him to collect the award in person at Unite’s headquarters. He expressed particular gratitude to Irina Do Carmo, who presented the award on behalf of Unite and took the time to mark the occasion so thoughtfully.
The recognition holds significant meaning for Patrick, as it reflects many years of collective work alongside Unite to advance racial justice, challenge institutional racism, and amplify the voices and lived experiences of Black workers across the trade union movement and wider society.
Over many years, Patrick has worked closely with Unite to support and strengthen its commitment to equality, helping to shape its work on race equality and Black History Month. This journey, he emphasises, has always been rooted in collective struggle and solidarity—driven by activists and members who continue to push for change from the ground up.
Patrick has thanked Unite for the honour and for its ongoing leadership on equality and justice. He describes the award as both humbling and a reminder that there is still much more to do, reaffirming his commitment to continue working alongside trade unionists and communities to achieve lasting change.
About Unite The Union
Unite is a modern trade union responding to the key challenges facing working people today. As a democratic and campaigning organisation, it represents employees in the workplace, defends workers’ rights, and works to extend trade union representation to millions of unorganised workers. Unite promotes equality and advances its members’ interests at both national and political levels. It also operates internationally, building strong partnerships with trade unions worldwide to address the realities of a globalised economy.