On Friday 7 March, our sixth form students welcomed The Rt Hon. Baroness Stowell of Beeston MBE to Hucknall Sixth Form Centre. Her visit was organised through the charitable organisation Speakers for Schools.
Baroness Stowell is a Conservative peer in the House of Lords. She is also a social mobility commissioner and has recently become a committee member of both the UK Engagement with Space Committee and the Conduct Committee. She is a former chair of the Communications and Digital Select Committee and a former cabinet minister. Before her time in government, Baroness Stowell worked in the media—working for the BBC as head of corporate affairs—and was a civil servant, working at the Ministry of Defence, the British Embassy in Washington, and the 10 Downing Street press office. It was her work within the Civil Service that earned her the award of MBE.
Baroness Stowell spoke passionately about her career journey, from Chilwell Comprehensive School to secretarial college; about gaining her position within the Civil Service; and how her career as a civil servant led to her being awarded an MBE. She also discussed her career with the BBC, through to her becoming a peer in the House of Lords. Additionally, she spoke engagingly about success and what it meant to her, as well as the importance of always doing your best in whatever you set your mind to. She spent time answering questions from students and speaking with staff and students afterwards.
We look forward to hosting more speakers from Speakers for Schools in the future.
