Patrick Vernon

Patrick Vernon is a leading health activist, social commentator, and cultural historian. His distinguished work across public and private sectors has involved developing and managing social care, mental health, cultural heritage, public health and employment and regeneration services. Moreover, Patrick is a foremost expert on African genealogy in the UK and a prominent Windrush campaigner who currently occupies notable positions, including Chair of the Citizens Partnerships for the Health Safety Investigation Branch, Director of Every Generation Media and Associated Director for Connected Communities for the Centre for Ageing Better. A popular speaker, Patrick is regularly booked for topics such as Windrush, Black British history, family genealogy and public health.

Formerly an Associate Fellow for the Department of the History of Medicine for Warwick University, Patrick has held several distinguished roles, including adviser on equality and diversity for Lambeth and Harrow Councils, Director of the Camden and Islington Mental Health Foundation and the first Director of Black Thrive. Patrick has also Chaired the Westminster Race Equality Partnership, acted as the Director of The Afiya Trust, and served as the Brent Health Action Zone Director. Moreover, Patrick has been campaigning for the Windrush Generation for over a decade and is renowned for his contribution to exposing the Windrush scandal. Through his non-profit Windrush Justice, he launched a petition for the amnesty of Windrush Children, which garnered 180,000 signatures.

With substantial experience in diversity, equity and inclusion, Patrick was appointed Race Equalities Advisor to the Shadow Equalities Ministerial Team by Jeremy Corbyn. He went on to launch Every Generation Media and 100 Great Black Britons and served as the Editor of the Black History Month Magazine and the Windrush Commemorative Magazine, among other things. In recognition of his contributions to culture and heritage, he was appointed Pioneer of the Nation for Cultural History and OBE by the Queen. He was also included on the 2020 Powerlist of 100 Influential Black People in Britain, 1000 Progressive Londoners by the Evening Standard and awarded the National Campaigner Award in 2019. To alleviate the Black community’s struggles with Covid-19, Patrick established the Majonzi Fund in 2020.

A distinguished individual with an illustrious history campaigning for the Windrush Generation, Patrick has established himself as a foremost expert on race, Black British History, and family genealogy. An exceptional orator, he is highly demanded for speaking engagements where he tackles complex topics such as cultural migration history, family genealogy, Black British history and diversity and inclusion, simply and engagingly. The perfect speaker to learn more about the Windrush scandal, book Patrick Vernon now!