Photograph by John Swannell

We are delighted that Cherie Blair has agreed to be our guest speaker at our forthcoming Awards’ Evening on Thursday, June 21st. Mrs Blair will speak to students, parents and staff and present our awards for 2012.

Wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, leading lawyer and committed campaigner for women’s rights, Cherie set up the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women in 2008 to help women build small and growing businesses in Africa, South Asia and the Middle East so that they can contribute to their economies and have a stronger voice in their societies. 
Cherie studied law at the London School of Economics and was called to the Bar in 1976. She became a Queen’s Counsel in 1995 and in 2000 co-founded Matrix Chambers from which she continues to practise as a barrister. Cherie currently also sits as a Recorder, as part-time judges are known, and is an accredited mediator. In 2007, she was awarded the Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill medal in recognition of her high ideals and courageous actions.  Cherie also holds Honorary Degrees at the Open University and Liverpool Hope University.
As well as fighting for human rights in her professional career, Cherie is an active campaigner on equality and human rights issues. In addition to founding her own charity, she remains closely involved with charities with a special emphasis on women and children. She is a member of the International Center for Research on Women’s leadership council, ambassador for the GSMA mWomen Programme, honorary vice president of Barnados, president of the Loomba Foundation, ambassador for Scope, trustee of Africa Justice Foundation and patron of a number of charities, including Breast Cancer Care and SolarAid. Cherie is also Vice-Chair of the US Secretary of State’s International Council for Women’s Business Leadership and Honorary Chair of the World Justice Project.

For further information please visit:-

www.cherieblair.org 
www.cherieblairfoundation.org