On 19 June it is World Sickle Cell Day and with that in mind we have chosen Floella Benjamin, a patron of the Sickle Cell Society, as our Inspirational Diversity Champion for this month.

Floella is an actress, author, television presenter, singer, businesswoman and politician. Although she is particularly known as a presenter of children’s programmes such as Play School and Play Away, Floella has also appeared in pantomimes and radio programmes, written and appeared in several educational, religious and entertainment videos and been a narrator with a number of national orchestras.

Floella is also an author having written over 25 children’s books and written many articles for magazines including regular columns in ‘Parents’ and ‘TV Times’. In 1987 Floella set up her own television production company and since then she has produced hundreds of programmes, primarily for children.

Floella has sat on several boards and committees including, Ofcom Content Board, the Millennium Commission, the National Film & Television School and BAFTA.

In 2001 she was awarded the OBE ‘For Services to Broadcasting’ and in 2006, she was appointed as Chancellor of the University of Exeter.

In June 2010 Floella became a life peer with the title Baroness Benjamin of Beckenham in the County of Kent

To find out more about Floella and her work see her website at http://www.floellabenjamin.com/www.floellabenjamin.com or follow her on twitter at https://twitter.com/FloellaBenjamin