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TRIO IN BUSINESS: (from left) Aloun Ndombet-Assamba, high commissioner for Jamaica; Beverly Lindsay and Lord Morris of Handsworth

BIRMINGHAM BUSINESSWOMAN and community stalwart Beverly Lindsay has made history by becoming the city’s first black female president of Birmingham Rotary Club.

Lindsay, who chairs the Association of Jamaican Nationals (Birmingham) UK, made her inaugural speech during a lunch attended by more than 100 fellow rotarians and guests including Aloun Ndombet-Assamba, the newly appointed High Commissioner for Jamaica, and Lord Morris of Handsworth.

She said she felt both humbled and honoured to be taking over the presidency from Stuart Guy during such an important year for both Birmingham and Jamaica. Vice President will be former Lord Mayor of Birmingham Mike Wilkes.

“I sincerely appreciate your vote of confidence, or as we say in Jamaica ‘nuff respect,” said Miss Lindsay, who launched her travel agency Diamond Travel more than 25 years ago.

“At the time this role was suggested I was at a very low point in my life trying to get over the loss of my son. I think it was very brave of you to ask me at a time when I was in a wilderness, trying to make sense of my life and my purpose.

“This honour reignited my sense of purpose and reminded me that the contribution we make here gives hope to others as we live out our purpose and serve others from the abundance of blessings that we have been gifted with.”

Miss Lindsay, who was honoured with an OBE last summer for her services to business and the Jamaican community in Birmingham, also has the Order of Distinction for her outstanding services to Jamaica. Her chosen charity for the year will be sickle cell anaemia and thalassaemia.

She added: “If I can promise you one thing during my tenure as President of this wonderful organisation, then my promise to you is that during the coming year it certainly will not be business as usual, but that it will be a year filled with energy, vibrancy, fun and a few surprises along the way.

“In the words of Henry Ford – ‘coming together in the beginning, staying together is progress, working together is success.’”