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Camila Batmanghelidjh and 6th Earl of Listowel awarded Honorary Degrees

Wednesday 21 January 2009

The University of East London (UEL) and The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust jointly awarded Honorary Degrees to Camila Batmanghelidjh and the 6th Earl of Listowel, both campaigners for children’s and young people’s rights.

More than 100 graduates and their families, as well as staff from the Tavistock, Britain's leading provider of multidisciplinary postgraduate training in mental health, attended the ceremony held at the Institute of Education, London on Saturday 17 January.

UEL’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Susan Price gave the graduation address to the students. She said:

“The sacrifices you, your families and friends have made to complete your studies have been considerable. This is truly your day. I hope that each one of you, wherever your path now leads, will look back on your time here with affection, and remember that you will always be part of this extended family.

“UEL has many collaborative links with partners around the world, and these are growing all the time. However, none is closer to our hearts – by which I mean attuned to our values as a university, than this wonderful partnership with the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust.

“These two outstanding individuals have been honoured for their important work with children and the under-privileged. They have highlighted the plight of thousands and are helping to change hearts and minds to transform lives for the better.”

Camila Batmanghelidjh is a child psychotherapist and the founder and Director of Kids Company, a charity set up to provide invaluable support to vulnerable inner-city children and young people. She set up The Place2Be earlier in her career and that is now a national organisation working with schools across the UK providing therapeutic and emotional support to the children.

Francis Michael Hare, 6th Earl of Listowel is a passionate campaigner for the young under-privileged. One of ninety hereditary peers elected to remain in the House of Lords after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999, he has also been a powerful voice in support of Social Workers.

Ends

UEL Press office contact: 0208 223 6239 or 07595 056245.

Notes to editors

The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust is Britain's leading provider of multidisciplinary postgraduate training in mental health and a major regional provider of clinical services for people of all ages.

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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