Rosa Monckton, Baroness Monckton of Dallington Forest
Rosamond Mary Monckton, Baroness Monckton of Dallington Forest, MBE (born 26 October 1953) is an English businesswoman and charity campaigner.
The Baroness Monckton of Dallington Forest | |
|---|---|
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal | |
| Assumed office 12 March 2024 Life peerage | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Rosamond Mary Monckton 26 October 1953 |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | Dominic Lawson |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent | |
| Occupation | Businesswoman and charity campaigner |
Background
editRosa Monckton was born on 26 October 1953 to Gilbert Monckton, 2nd Viscount Monckton of Brenchley, and Marianna, Viscountess Monckton of Brenchley (née Bower).[1][2] The only daughter of five siblings,[3] her elder brother is Christopher, a journalist, public speaker, and outspoken climate change denier. Monckton was educated at the Ursuline Convent in Tildonk, Belgium.[1]
She is married to the journalist Dominic Lawson (son of Conservative politician Nigel Lawson and brother of the food writer Nigella Lawson). They have two daughters, Domenica and Savannah. Domenica has Down syndrome; her godmother was Monckton's friend Diana, Princess of Wales.[4] Monckton had a stillbirth in 1994, the baby was buried in a garden on the grounds of Kensington Palace with Diana's help.[5]
In 2017, Monckton wrote for The Spectator arguing for learning-disabled people to be able to work for less pay than minimum wage, citing 1.3 million unemployed people of 1.4 million people with learning disabilities in the UK.[6] This article was criticised by some in the disability rights movement.[7]
Monckton was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours for voluntary and charitable services to people with learning disabilities and their families in the UK and abroad.[8][9] She was nominated for a life peerage by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak[10] and was created Baroness Monckton of Dallington Forest, of Earlsdown in the County of East Sussex, on 12 March 2024.[11]
Fundraising
editRosa Monckton is a fundraiser and supports several charities relating to children and Down syndrome.
The charities include:
- The Acorns Children's Hospice for the care of life limited children in the heart of England
- Downside Up a Down syndrome charity in Russia
- The Down's Syndrome Educational Trust based in Portsmouth, England which through research provides education, information and training to promote the development of children with Down syndrome
- Kids (charity), a disabled children's charity based in England. KIDS helps in developing and improving the lives of disabled children
- The Bulgarian Abandoned Children's Trust, a British charity dedicated to helping disabled and disadvantaged children in Bulgaria and campaigning for an end to the use of institutional care
- Team Domenica, a charity named after her daughter which supports young adults with learning disabilities to find employment[12]
Arms
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References
edit- ^ a b "Monckton, Hon. Rosa(mond) Mary, (Hon. Mrs Dominic Lawson)". Who's Who. A & C Black. 2021. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U44355. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- ^ "Requiem mass". The Times. 12 July 2006. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ^ "Monckton of Brenchley". Who's Who. A & C Black. 2007. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U27817. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- ^ Kim, Eun Kyung (31 August 2018). "Princess Diana's friend shares rare photo on 21st anniversary of royal's death". Today. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- ^ "Princess Diana secretly buried a stillborn baby in the palace gardens once". Geo TV. 13 September 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
- ^ Monckton, Rosa (4 March 2017). "Why people with learning disabilities should be allowed to work for less than the minimum wage". The Spectator.
- ^ "Rosa Monckton: Let learning disabled work below minimum wage". BBC News. 2 March 2017.
- ^ "No. 61962". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 17 June 2017. p. B20.
- ^ Hurst, Greg (27 March 2019). "Rosa Monckton in court battle over care of disabled daughter". Time. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- ^ "Political Peerages 2024". GOV.UK. Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
- ^ "No. 64346". The London Gazette. 18 March 2024. p. 5400.
- ^ "Our Story". Team Domenica website. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
- ^ Burke's Peerage. 1959.