Patrick Vernon facts for kids

Patrick Philip Vernon is a British social commentator and activist. He was born in 1961 and has Jamaican family roots. He works to help communities and improve public services. Patrick Vernon used to be a local politician, a councillor, in London.

He has spent his career working on health and social care, especially for mental health. He also helps people find jobs and improve their neighborhoods. Patrick Vernon is also a filmmaker and loves history. He started a group called Every Generation to share the history of different communities. He also created the "100 Great Black Britons" campaign. He is an expert in tracing family histories for people from African and Caribbean backgrounds in the UK.

In 2012, he received an award called the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). This was for his work in making health services fairer for people from different ethnic backgrounds. In 2018, he received a special degree from the University of Wolverhampton.

Patrick Vernon successfully campaigned for June 22nd to be known as Windrush Day. This is a special day each year to celebrate the contributions of migrants to British society. The British government officially supported this in 2018.

In 2019, he started working at the Centre for Ageing Better. This charity helps improve the lives of older people.

About Patrick Vernon

Early Life and Learning

Patrick Vernon was born in Wolverhampton, England. His parents, Norris and Avis Vernon, came to the UK from Jamaica in the 1950s. Patrick has researched his family history and found his ancestors lived in a village in Senegal in the 1800s.

He grew up in Wolverhampton and went to local schools and colleges. Later, he studied law at Manchester Metropolitan University. He then continued his studies at Warwick University. In 1989, he moved to London.

Working in Health and Social Care

Patrick Vernon first worked in health and social care. He was a manager for Citizens Advice Bureau, which helps people with their problems. He also worked for the government in health departments. He was a director for a health group in Brent and a regional director for the charity MIND, which supports mental health.

He also worked with other groups that focused on the mental health of refugees, immigrants, and prisoners. He was an advisor for a mental health campaign called Time To Change. He also advised government ministers on mental health.

Every Generation Media and Family History

In 2002, Patrick Vernon started Every Generation Media. This group creates educational programs, books, and films about cultural heritage and family history. The Every Generation website became a key place for African and Caribbean communities in Britain to learn about their family roots.

In 2003, he launched the "100 Great Black Britons" campaign. This was in response to a TV show that listed the "100 Greatest Britons." Patrick wanted to highlight the important contributions of Black people to Britain. He also wanted to challenge ideas about what it means to be British.

The campaign was widely covered in newspapers and on TV. Mary Seacole, a famous nurse, was voted the greatest Black Briton. In 2019, the campaign was updated. A new book called 100 Great Black Britons was published in 2020. Patrick Vernon wrote it with Angelina Osborne.

Windrush Day and Community Work

Patrick Vernon was one of the first people to suggest celebrating "Windrush Day" every year on June 22nd. This day recognizes the contributions of migrants to UK society. It marks the day in 1948 when the Empire Windrush ship arrived in Tilbury. This ship brought the first large group of migrants from the West Indies to Britain after World War II.

In 2017, Patrick Vernon became a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. This is a group for historians. He is also part of their group that works on race, ethnicity, and equality in history.

In May 2018, Patrick Vernon relaunched a petition asking the Prime Minister to recognize June 22nd as a national day. This day would celebrate migration and migrant communities in Britain. The government later announced that an annual Windrush Day would be celebrated. They also provided money to support events. This was to honor the Windrush Generation and their families. It helps keep their legacy alive and celebrates Britain's diverse history.

In April 2020, Patrick Vernon started "The Majonzi Fund." This fund helps families from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds. It provides small grants for bereavement counseling and memorial events. This was especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Patrick Vernon was featured on the cover of British Vogue magazine in August 2020. He was recognized as one of 20 activists "ready to change the world."

He also helped get a special plaque, called a Blue Plaque, for Paulette Wilson. She was an immigrant rights activist and part of the Windrush Generation. The plaque was placed at the Wolverhampton Heritage Centre. This center is important to the local Caribbean community.

Political Career

Patrick Vernon served as a local politician, a councillor, for eight years. He represented the Queensbridge area in the London Borough of Hackney. He stepped down in May 2014. In 2015, he was appointed chair of the Labour Party's Race Equality Advisory Group.

Views on Historical Symbols

In 2015, Patrick Vernon shared his thoughts on the design of the flag of the Black Country. He felt that the chain symbol on the flag could be seen as connected to the history of the transatlantic slave trade. He explained that this industry profited from slavery. His comments led to discussions online about the flag's meaning.

Cultural Contributions

As a filmmaker, Patrick Vernon directed and produced A Charmed Life. This documentary is about the contributions of Caribbean people in the UK during World War II. It focuses on Eddie Martin Noble, a Jamaican ex-serviceman.

Patrick Vernon writes for various publications, including The Guardian and The Voice. In 2017, he was a guest editor for Black History Month Magazine. This was for the 30th anniversary of Black History Month in Britain.

He also hosts a podcast called Museum of Grooves. In this podcast, he explores a topic called Afrofuturism.

Awards and Recognition

• 2003: CRE Race in the Media Awards for New Media
• 2003: Recognized by Buckingham Palace as a "Pioneer of the Nation" for Cultural History
• 2004: Windrush Awards winner for Internet and Technology and Community Champion
• 2005: National Ethnic Minority Social Enterprise Award
• 2006: CRE Race in the Media Awards runner-up in New Media
• 2007: Clore Leadership Fellow
• 2009: A community space in the Chalkhill Health and Community Centre, near Wembley Stadium, was named "Vernon Hall" in 2010. This was to recognize his work as a senior NHS manager in Brent.
• 2012: Awarded OBE in Queen's Birthday Honours for helping to reduce health inequalities for ethnic minorities.
• 2013: Visiting Fellow, Centre for History of Medicine, Warwick University
• 2014: Health Service Journal, BME Pioneer for 2014
• 2014: Jamaica Times UK, Political Representative of the Year
• 2017: Elected to Fellowship of the Royal Historical Society
• 2018: Honorary degree of Doctor of Letters, University of Wolverhampton

Other Works

• "Letter to My Brother" in Encounters with James Baldwin: Celebrating 100 Years. London: Supernova Books. 2024.