Mandela8 Chair to receive an Honorary Fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University

Chair of Mandela8, Sonia Bassey MBE is to receive an Honorary Fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University.

The announcement was made this morning with fellows to be conferred during a ceremony in October.

In 1987 Sir John Moores became the first Honorary Fellow of the then Polytechnic and it established a tradition which continues to the day at the university named in his honour.

Since that inaugural conferment LJMU have recognised the outstanding achievements of over 300 distinguished individuals, who have become part of their extended university community and who align themselves with their activities and advocate on the university’s behalf.

An Honorary Fellowship is the highest award LJMU confer as a university; a public recognition of outstanding professional achievements and individuals, celebrated as role models for students and staff.


(Photo: John Hollingsworth)

A graduate in business and finance from LJMU, and former Director of Public Sector Transformation for Cheshire and Warrington until retirement in 2022, Sonia earned an MBE for her community service in Liverpool and was winner of the LCRCA 2023 Inspiration Award – Lifetime Achiever for her 40+ years in promoting race equality and social justice through the arts and neighbourhood and regeneration services.

Her recent projects have included: Liverpool 8’s arts corridor, featuring the Nelson Mandela mural, transforming Princes Avenue embedding the Black community history into the very fabric of the design; becoming a founding member and Director of L8 Matters Community Land Trust and a Trustee of the National Community Land Trust Network; and leading the BLM March in Liverpool in 2020.

Sonia is the first Black Chair of LCVS and former Chair of Africa Oyé and is currently Chair and one of the founding members of Mandela8. Sonia has been instrumental in the Mandela Memorial installation in Princes Park, bringing the Mandela family to Liverpool, the annual Mandela Day celebrations and programmes in schools and for youth at risk of exclusion.


Tukwini Mandela (left) with Sonia Bassey during Mandela Week in Liverpool (Photo: John Hollingsworth)

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mark Power comments:“Our Fellowship is an exceptional roll call of individuals who participate in the life of the university and become our ambassadors. Fellows are drawn from all walks of life and numerous disciplines, many are alumni and return for the honour having established professional acclaim in their time since graduating. The cohort we will recognise this year is outstanding and I’m already proud of their association with LJMU and looking forward to how we can work with them in the future.”

Artistic Director of Africa Oyé and Mandela8 Trustee, Paul Duhaney said: “Everyone at Mandela8 is delighted to learn of this wonderful honour that Sonia is receiving from LJMU. It is testament to her tireless work and activism for her community and the arts in Liverpool that she has shown all her life.”

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