Coming to England

Floella Benjamin is an actress, presenter, writer, independent producer, politician, advocate for children throughout the world and is best known for the iconic TV programmes Play School and Play Away. She has celebrated over 50 years in the entertainment industry and has appeared on stage, radio, film and television. She has received numerous awards, including an OBE, a BAFTA Lifetime Award, the Women In Film & Television Lifetime Award and the JM Barrie Award for her legacy to children’s creative arts. From 2006 to 2016 she was Chancellor of the University of Exeter and in 2010 she entered the House of Lords, where she speaks on diversity, equality and children’s issues. In 2020 she received a Damehood for her charitable work. She chaired the Windrush Commemoration Committee, charged with creating a National Monument to the Windrush Generation which was unveiled at Waterloo Station on Windrush Day, June 22nd 2022. She has written over 30 books including My Two Grannies and the bestselling Coming to England.Joelle Avelino is a Congolese and Angolan award-winning illustrator based in London. She has illustrated Mama's Sleeping Scarf,' written by awardwinning and bestselling author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and worked on several other titles including Hey You! written by Dapo Adeola and the 25th anniversary edition of Baroness Floella Benjamin's classic memoir Coming to England. Her animation project with the Malala Fund was featured as one of Design Week’s favourite International Women’s Day projects of 2020. Having migrated to the UK as a child she is particularly motivated by the need for people from all races and backgrounds to see themselves in the world around them.