Gypsy lad Ben Bennett wins Diana Award!
Young Romany Gypsy campaigner and CH5’s Gypsy Kids star Ben Bennett has won a prestigious Diana Award.
The young Romany Gypsy from Nottingham has been awarded the honour for his work campaigning and challenging racism and discrimination against Gypsy and Traveller young people.
He collected his award at a formal ceremony in Birmingham on the 11th July and delivered a heartfelt acceptance speech. The Diana Award is the most respected honour a young person aged 9-25 years can receive for their social action or humanitarian work.
Speaking to the Travellers’ Times he said, “I am incredibly overwhelmed and surprised to have received the award, and am proud to be working hard to help pave the way to fight against prejudice and discrimination”.
The 14 year old, persistently speaks out about racism and injustice for Gypsy and Traveller people in the media and at conferences across the UK and courageously engages with national tabloid print and broadcast media which more often than not paints a negative image of the UK’s Gypsies and Traveller population.
Ben Bennet once stunned the presenters of Good Morning and won the hearts of their viewers when he told Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby that he wanted to become prime minister. When asked if he would live at Number 10 Downing Street he said yes – but he would pull his trailer onto it and live in that.
Our TT editor, Mike Doherty described the impact of Ben’s engagement with the media in the TT’s letter of support for the award.
He said: “Unique and unprecedented coverage that has reached millions of readers and viewers that our campaign work rarely gets seen by”, and described Ben’s TV interviews as “emotive and compelling – but also polished and professional”.
Ben’s journey to stand proud and advocate for his community has not been without his own personal challenges.
He opened his Diana Award acceptance speech by saying, “before I get into anything I would just like to say, to all those people who bullied me and doubted me and to those who stood by and watched everything happen and didn’t say a word - doubt me now!”
He added, “I have been able to tell my story on a national platform. For that I am grateful and can honestly say that without those experiences of doubt, bullying and people sitting on their hands, I wouldn’t be the man I am today. I want to thank them because they started a fire in my core and the determination to make sure no one of any background shall face the suffering again.”
He used the acceptance speech as an opportunity to send a clear message to those sat in the audience: “If you see prejudice and injustice stop it in its tracks there and then, because we as individuals are the only thing stopping that change. I can’t do it all myself, I can campaign all I want, but if the public doesn’t listen then I can say without a doubt that when I retire there will still be people campaigning for equality when equality is not something that should be campaigned for it should be born into us.”
Ben Bennett is an excellent role model for all young people wishing to build a fairer society and Travellers’ Times looks forward to following his future work.
