Mother of Stephen Lawrence set to give school talk on leadership and diversity

BY TOBY PORTER
toby@slpmedia.co.uk

Murdered black teenager Stephen Lawrence’s mother Doreen will talk to pupils of a school as part of its annual festival.

The St Dunstan’s Festival, from June 24-July 7, will host An Evening on Diversity and Leadership on Tuesday, June 25.

Special guest Baroness Lawrence, Lewisham councillor Brenda Dacres and LGBT author Shaun Dellenty will all focus on the challenges individuals from minority backgrounds face in leadership roles.

The festival will also include an open air cinema of The Greatest Showman on Thursday, June 27 at the college’s Jubilee Grounds.

Guests will be able to bring picnics and blankets to enjoy the family favourite, which includes stars Hugh Jackman and Michelle Williams.

Other community events include a historical tour of St Dunstan’s College on Monday, June 24, and a community drama performance at the Broadway Theatre directed by National Theatre director Kate Beales on Friday, June 28.

The performance will bring together students from across the borough to devise a piece from scratch.

A spokesman for St Dunstan’s College said: ‘We are delighted to be opening up this year’s St Dunstan’s Festival to the wider community.

“The Festival celebrates art, culture and community at the college site and throughout Catford.

“We are particularly honoured to be welcoming Baroness Doreen Lawrence to our diversity and leadership event.

Baroness Lawrence has been a champion of diversity and equality, and the evening will not be one to miss.”

“St Dunstan’s Festival first started in the 1990s and was named The Catford Arts Festival.

The event quickly became popular with if being dubbed the Edinburgh Festival of South London, however the event was short lived and only lasted a few years.

In summer 2015, Mr Nicholas Hewlett, current headmaster, reignited the festival and now the event is firmly established in the school calendar.

Tickets and further information can be found at: https://www.stdunstans.org.uk/festival.