We have appointed Lord Paul Boateng as our new co-chair. Paul is a civil rights activist, lawyer, politician and diplomat. He began his career as a Law Centre worker on the Harrow Road, specialising in housing, youth justice and employment. He lived in Westbourne Park and worked closely with local tenants’ rights and community groups in North Westminster and North Kensington.
Paul went on to become one of the UK’s first black MPs and the UK’s first black government minister. He left frontline politics in 2005 to work as a diplomat in Africa, where he spent much of his childhood. On his return to the UK, he became a member of the House of Lords. He continues to work in various roles relating to economic development and racial justice issues in both the UK and overseas.
Commenting on his appointment to the Memorial Commission, Paul said: ‘Grenfell deserves a fitting memorial that reflects the loss of life and the unspeakable grief that has occurred here. It’s a privilege to have been asked to serve on the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission. I will help ensure the community’s voice is heard in shaping an everlasting memorial to those whose lives were lost in, or changed forever by, this tragedy.’
Paul shares our ethos and commitment to the journey to a memorial, which cannot happen without the community’s involvement, and we are pleased to be working with him. Paul looks forward to meeting as many of you as possible in the coming months.
Paul replaces our previous co-chair Michael Lockwood and Thelma Stober remains in her role as second co-chair. Our co-chairs have an incredibly important role. They help to direct and oversee our work to develop a community vision for a memorial and support us in bringing together the diverse perspectives of bereaved families, survivors and local residents.