Maureen Duffy was an English poet, playwright, novelist and non-fiction author who published over 60 works. Long an activist covering such issues as gay rights and animal rights, she campaigned especially on behalf of authors. She was a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and of King’s College London, a Vice President of the Royal Society of Literature, and held honorary DLitts from the universities of Loughborough and Kent. Bernardine Evaristo, MBE, is the award-winning author of eight books of fiction and verse fiction that explore aspects of the African diaspora. Her novel Girl, Woman, Other made her the first black woman to win the Booker Prize in 2019, as well winning the Fiction Book of the Year Award at the British Book Awards in 2020, where she also won Author of the Year, and the Indie Book Award. She also became the first woman of colour and black British writer to reach No.1 in the UK paperback fiction chart in 2020. In 2025 she was awarded the Women's Prize Outstanding Contribution Award. Her other awards and honours include an MBE in 2009 and an OBE in 2020. Her writing spans reviews, essays, drama and radio, and she has edited and guest-edited national publications, including The Sunday Time's Style magazine. Bernardine is Professor of Creative Writing at Brunel University, London, and President of the Royal Society of Literature. She lives in London with her husband.www.bevaristo.com
