Editing Floella Benjamin (section)

==Honours and offices==
[[File:Statue of Floella.jpg|thumb|right|Bust of Benjamin outside the [[University of Exeter]]'s students' guild. Artist: Luke Shepherd]]
Benjamin was appointed [[Order of the British Empire|Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) in the [[2001 New Year Honours]] for services to broadcasting.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=56070 |date=30 December 2000 |page=10 |supp=y }}</ref> At that time she was chairperson of the [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA)]]. She has also won a Special Lifetime Achievement award from BAFTA. She was chairperson of the Women of the Year Lunch<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.womenoftheyear.co.uk/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130617062649/http://www.womenoftheyear.co.uk/the-board-council/nominating-council/ |url-status=dead |title=Women of the Year Lunch and Awards – Celebrating women since 1955 |archive-date=17 June 2013 |website=Women of the Year}}</ref> for five years and a [[Millennium Commission]]er. She is president of the Elizabeth R Commonwealth Broadcasting Fund and a governor of the [[National Film and Television School]]. She was a governor of [[Dulwich College]], where her mother once worked and her son had attended.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/oct/01/floella-benjamin-my-famimly-values |title=Interview {{!}} Floella Benjamin: My family values |first=Juliet |last=Rix |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=1 October 2011}}</ref>

[[File:Floella benjamin.jpg|thumb|left|257x257px|alt=Floella Benjamin|Benjamin in 2009]]In 2006, she was awarded the [[honorary degree|degree]] of [[Doctor of Letters|honorary D.Litt.]] ([[Exoniensis|Exon]]) by the [[University of Exeter]] for contributions to the life of the United Kingdom. Benjamin succeeded [[Robert Alexander, Baron Alexander of Weedon|Lord Alexander of Weedon]] as [[Chancellors of the University of Exeter|Chancellor of the University of Exeter]].<ref>[http://www.exeter.ac.uk/about/organisation/chancellor Office of the Chancellor, University of Exeter]; accessed 21 March 2014.</ref> She famously hugged graduates instead of traditionally shaking their hands during the graduation ceremonies.<ref>[http://xmedia.ex.ac.uk/wp/wordpress/going-with-the-flo-ella/ "Going with the Flo-ella"], ''Exeposé'', 16 October 2013. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150725024105/http://xmedia.ex.ac.uk/wp/wordpress/going-with-the-flo-ella/ |date=25 July 2015 }}.</ref> Benjamin stepped down from office in winter 2016 after ten years in the post.<ref>{{cite web |title=University of Exeter Chancellor Baroness Floella Benjamin steps down after ten fantastic years |url=https://www.exeter.ac.uk/alumnisupporters/news/featurednews/title_437906_en.html |website=University of Exeter |access-date=1 March 2018}}</ref>

A statue of Benjamin is outside the University's student guild.(shown on the right) The plaque reads Consideration ~ ''put yourself in the place of others and show empathy and respect. Never be judgmental''.; Contentment ~ ''Don't be jealous and envious, but be satisfied with what you have. That way you are open and ready to receive what is right for you.''; Confidence ~ ''Be a decent human being, feel worthy and like the person you are. Give and love unconditionally and more will come back to you.'' This was the first public statue of a named living black woman in the UK.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shepherd |first1=Luke |title='Baroness Floella Benjamin (Portrait Bronze statue)' |url=http://www.artparks.co.uk/artpark_sculpture.php?sculpture=10465&sculptor=luke_shepherd |website=ArtParksInternational |access-date=13 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Shepherd |first1=Luke |title=Bronze of Floella Benjamin |url=https://www.creativetorbay.com/luke-shepherd-portrait-sculptor/floella-benjamin/ |website=CreativeTorbay |access-date=13 April 2021}}</ref>

On 10 December 2008, she was appointed a [[Deputy lieutenant]] of Greater London.<ref>{{cite web |title=Deputy Lieutenant Commissions LIEUTENANCY OF GREATER LONDON |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/L-58918-692315 |website=The London Gazette |access-date=28 April 2023 |language=en}}</ref> In the 2010 [[Dissolution Honours List]], she was appointed a [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] [[life peer]], being created '''Baroness Benjamin''', of [[Beckenham]] in the [[Kent|County of Kent]] on 26 June 2010.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=59476 |date=1 July 2010 |page=12451}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8711821.stm |title=Dissolution Honours: John Prescott made a peer |work=BBC News |date=28 May 2010 |access-date=29 May 2010}}</ref> She was the first actress to become a peer in the House of Lords. In her maiden speech, she spoke of choosing Beckenham to reflect the legacy of her mother and father, and the importance of childhood. She referenced her support of such charities as [[NSPCC]], [[Childline]], and [[Barnados]], and their work to protect and support the health and wellbeing of vulnerable children.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Benjamin |first=Floella |date=5 October 2010 |title=Baroness Floella Benjamin's maiden speech |url=https://www.libdemvoice.org/baroness-floella-benjamins-maiden-speech-21482.html |access-date=4 March 2022 |website=Liberal Democrat Voice}}</ref>

In the 2020 [[Powerlist]], Benjamin was listed in the Top 100 of the most influential people in the UK of African/African-Caribbean descent in the UK.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mills |first1=Kelly-Ann |title=Raheem Sterling joins Meghan and Stormzy in top 100 most influential black Brits |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/black-powerlist-2020-raheem-sterling-20721033 |website=Daily Mirror |access-date=20 April 2020 |date=25 October 2019}}</ref> The same year saw Benjamin appointed [[Order of the British Empire|Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] (DBE) in the [[2020 New Year Honours]] for services to charity.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=62866|supp=y|page=N8|date=28 December 2019}}</ref> On 12 March 2020, in an Investiture ceremony at [[Buckingham Palace]], she received the insignia from [[Charles III|Prince Charles]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/ClarenceHouse/status/1238134041964154881 |title=Today, The Prince of Wales held an Investiture Ceremony at Buckingham Palace on behalf of The Queen. |publisher=[[Twitter]] |location=London |author=Clarence House |author-link=Clarence House |year=2020 |website=twitter.com |access-date=13 March 2020}}</ref> In 2022 she was awarded the [[honorary degree]] of [[Doctor of Letters]] (D.Litt.) by the [[University of Chester]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Honorary Graduates 2022 |url=https://www1.chester.ac.uk/development-and-alumni-relations-office/your-alumni-community/meet-our-alumni/honorary-graduates-14 |website=University of Chester |date=20 June 2022 |access-date=4 July 2022 |language=en}}</ref> She was made a member of the [[Order of Merit]] in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=His Majesty The King |date=2022-11-11 |title=New Appointments to the Order of Merit |url=https://www.royal.uk/new-appointments-order-of-merit |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=royal.uk}}</ref>

She was chosen to carry the [[Sceptre with Dove]] at the [[Coronation of Charles III and Camilla]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Coronation order of service in full |work=BBC News |date=5 May 2023 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65503950 |access-date=6 May 2023}}</ref> Benjamin was presented with the [[BAFTA Fellowship]] award at the [[2024 British Academy Television Awards|70th British Academy Television Awards]]. Of the honour, BAFTA stated: "We are honoured to present Baroness Benjamin the BAFTA Fellowship for her tireless support of children and young people, her impact on television broadcasting, and for her unwavering championing of diversity. She is an unstoppable force for good with a determination to create opportunities and positive role models for future generations that has seen her effect a tremendous amount of positive change over fifty years and counting. She is deservedly a national treasure and we can’t wait to celebrate the impact of her work to date on 12th May at the BAFTA Television Awards."<ref>{{cite news |title=Floella Benjamin to receive BAFTA Fellowship at BAFTA TV Awards 2024 |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/baroness-floella-benjamin-bafta-fellowship-tv-awards-newsupdate/ |access-date=24 April 2024 |publisher=[[Radio Times]]}}</ref>