Croydon Cohort 3 Graduation & BoBs Fair 2025: A Celebration of Achievement and Opportunity
On Friday 21st March 2025, Braithwaite Hall in Croydon was filled with celebration, inspiration, and networking as we marked the graduation of Cohort 3 from Croydon Council’s Black on Board (BoB) programme. The event, held in partnership with Olmec and Croydon Council, brought together graduates, senior leaders, and voluntary sector organisations to celebrate the achievements of our delegates and open doors to governance opportunities.
The ceremony was honoured by an incredible line up of guest speakers, including Lara Oyedele, Mayor Jason Perry, Yemisi Gibbons, Chair of Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, Dean Shoesmith, Chief People Officer and Annette McPartland, Croydon Council Corporate Director for Adult Social Care & Health. Their powerful words reflected the importance of representation in leadership and the impact of the Black on Board programme in creating meaningful pathways into governance. Our distinguished speaker Yemisi Gibbons shared with our delegates that being on the board for Croydon NHS trust is about “equality of access and equity of outcomes” and that “shifting that equality dial to ensure that the people of Croydon are living the best lives that they can” is a key driver of hers in serving the community.
Graduate Reflections: The Impact of Black on Board
A highlight of the event was hearing directly from graduates who shared their experiences and aspirations. Vivina Vincent, a graduate from our third Croydon cohort shared that she would “strongly recommend anyone thinking of joining Black on Board to join – Black on Board empowers you to create a meaningful balanced society” with fellow graduate Maria Hornsby-Odoi adding that “if you think you want to bring about change in some area then join BoB”. Their stories served as a testament to the programme’s success in empowering professionals from Black and Minoritised Communities (BMC) to step into board and senior leadership roles.
The BoBs Fair: Connecting Graduates with Governance Opportunities
Following the graduation ceremony, the BoBs Fair provided a unique networking opportunity, with representatives from health, education, sustainability, youth, culture and other sectors engaging with graduates and attendees. Organisations actively recruiting for board positions and placements were on hand to discuss opportunities with our delegates.
With another successful graduation completed, the impact of Black on Board in Croydon continues to grow. As recruitment opens for future cohorts, we look forward to seeing more professionals take their next steps towards governance roles and leadership positions.
Join the Next Black on Board Cohort
If you are a Croydon Council colleague, and identify as coming from a Black, Racialised or Minoritised community then Black on Board could serve as the perfect opportunity for you to be the change you want to see in governance and senior leadership. In the words of our Cohort 2 Graduate Sonal Desai “BoB ensures that professionals like yourself have the knowledge, access and confidence to be in those decision making rooms, BoB gives you the tools, mentorship and visibility to take the next step.”
For those interested in joining upcoming cohorts, the Registration of Interest form linked below remains open for Croydon Council staff looking to take the next step in their leadership journey.
How do I sign up for the next cohort? Registration takes about 3 minutes.
Once registered, via the button below, Olmec will be in touch with additional information and next steps
About Olmec and Black on Board
Black on Board was developed in 2005 by Olmec, an award-winning race equality social enterprise, to address underrepresented of Black, marginalised, and racialised communities (BMC) at board level. We train, mentor, and prepare delegates through a comprehensive 14-session governance programme.
