UWI BENEFIT DINNER RETURNS TO LONDON FOR SECOND STAGING; BARONESS PATRICIA SCOTLAND, SIR TREVOR MCDONALD AMONG HONOUREES

September 23, 2025 — (Kingston): The University of the West Indies (UWI) is set to host the second edition of its London Benefit Dinner on Friday, November 7 at The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn, under the theme: ‘Educate to Elevate’. Baroness Patricia Scotland, the first woman Secretary General of The Commonwealth and Sir Trevor McDonald, an eminent UK journalist, lead the roster of Caribbean-British honourees, who have distinguished themselves through global service and impact.

“London is part of our identity as The UWI was founded as a College in a special relationship with the University College of London almost 80 years ago. Therefore, we’re thrilled to present the second UWI London Benefit Dinner, following a highly successful staging last year. Friends of The UWI can look forward to an enchanting celebration of Caribbean excellence as we pay it forward for the next generation of thinkers and doers from the region,” said Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice Chancellor – The UWI.

Honourees
• Baroness Patricia Scotland is a daughter of Dominica, who created history in 2015 by becoming the first woman and second Caribbean national to hold the post of Secretary General of The Commonwealth. Baroness Scotland is also the first woman to be appointed Attorney General of the UK.

• Sir Trevor McDonald, hails from Trinidad and Tobago and is one of the UK’s most respected broadcasters. He is best known for his time at Independent Television (ITV), anchoring News at Ten and hosting Tonight with Trevor McDonald, the then flagship current affairs programme. He was knighted for his sterling contribution to journalism in 1999.

• Ambassador Theresa Roberts is a philanthropist, art collector and entrepreneur, whose Jamaican heritage shapes her professional and personal endeavours. She is Founder of the Jamaica Patty Company and was appointed Ambassador and Special Envoy for Culture and the Arts by the Government of Jamaica in 2023.

• Sonita Alleyne is a Bajan award-winning media, business and social impact executive, who was appointed Master of Jesus College at the University of Cambridge, her alma mater. With her appointment in 2019, she became the first Black person to lead a college at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

• The VM Group is a leading Jamaican financial conglomerate, providing innovative products and services to clients in Jamaica, the United Kingdom, United States and Canada. VM continues to build on its almost 150-year strong heritage as a member-focused organisation.

Baroness Floella Benjamin, Sir Lenny Henry and Professor Shirley Thompson are the event’s patrons. Proceeds will continue to fund post-graduate scholarships for students, with a keen interest in climate action and environment, social and governance (ESG) themes.

Elizabeth Buchanan Hind, Head of UWI Advancement asserted, “The University is fully engaged with the Sustainable Development Goals and proceeds from this event will provide a route of action for talented and ambitious students to get the training needed to deliver the change we need. We invite friends of The UWI to join us in London for a magical evening, as we push to move the needle on climate action.”

For more information on the UWI London Benefit Dinner and to purchase tickets, visit: uwilondon.com.

For press enquiries and more info, please contact Caron Schreuder caron@longstoreyshort.com / 0790 3422 325