Sir Lenny Henry installed as university’s chancellor

SIR Lenny Henry has been installed as Birmingham City University’s new chancellor.

The actor, writer, comedian and charitable campaigner will be the ceremonial figurehead of the university for the next five years.

In his inaugural address as chancellor, Sir Lenny Henry emphasised that “education is a right, not an accident of birth” and highlighted what he hopes to achieve with his role at Birmingham City University over the next five years.

Sir Lenny said: “I grew up with the belief that education was not intended for the likes of me. It wasn’t until I was doing a summer season with Cannon and Ball in 1981 that I was brave enough to embark on my GCSEs. It was tough going, but I got through it.

“I was 46 before I got my first degree with the Open University and, while a comparative latecomer to higher education – whose career hardly relied on securing a BA or an MA after my name – that experience changed my life. It opened my mind to more possibilities, new thinking and different perspectives.

“Being chancellor of Birmingham City University is a chance for me to give back, to contribute something to the generation of young people leaving school now and to those people coming back in to education – mature students – who, like me, missed out on the chance when they were younger.”

The installation follows several visits to the campus earlier in the year when the Dudley-born star saw for himself how the University opens doors to the creative arts for young people from a range of backgrounds.

Over 300 invited guests were present at Sir Lenny’s installation ceremony at Birmingham Town Hall, which saw him wearing ceremonial robes as he formally accepted the position of chancellor.