In this episode Emma speaks with METRO Trustee Barbara Gray.

Barbara was born and still lives in South London. Her parents who arrived from Jamaica met in London in 1950s, and set out on an adventure.  In Wandsworth, Barbara attended a comprehensive school for 2000 girls.  Her first job was with a publishing house where she worked as PA to Graham Greene (nephew to the great author). She went on in 1976, to work in the community sector with the Martin Luther King Foundation in Balham, supporting mainly Caribbean and growing African and Asian populations into employment and training.  Her next role, in public relations for British Gas HQ, taught her the importance of brand reputation and she became versed in the workings of national policy and politics, and the power of the media.  It’s there that she also learned about corporate social responsibility through community projects.  1989 saw a significant change when Barbara became an Executive Assistant to the Leader of Lewisham Council and worked in a number of roles, ending her career in 2010, after 6 years in economic development working with Lewisham communities to narrow economic and equalities gaps and improve the local economy through regeneration. She since founded and leads Urban Dandelion CIC.  In 2019-2020 Barbara was Mayoress of Lewisham.  A resident of Lewisham for over thirty years, Barbara became a Trustee of Voluntary Action for Lewisham in 2015, and METRO Charity since formation of METRO VAL. She is also a Trustee for METRO.

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