Audrey Emerton, Baroness Emerton

Audrey Caroline Emerton, Baroness Emerton DBE, GCStJ, FRCN (born 10 September 1935) is a crossbench member of the House of Lords.

Appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1989 New Year Honours, she was created a life peer as Baroness Emerton, of Tunbridge Wells in the County of Kent and of Clerkenwell in the London Borough of Islington on 17 February 1997.

Career

She worked in the National Health Service as Chief Nursing Officer of South East Thames Regional Health Authority throughout the 1980s, and is chiefly remembered and honoured for leading the programme that replaced Darenth Park Hospital, a huge asylum for people with learning disabilities, which closed in August 1988.

Affiliations

She was Chancellor and Chief Commander of St John Ambulance and a volunteer with the organization for more than 70 years. She submitted her resignation in January 2002, saying she did not wish to seek a further three years in the post when her period of office expired in June 2002

Emerton was elected Chairman of the charity Attend (formerly known as National Association of Hospital and Community Friends) in 2003. She retired as Chairman in 2006 but was named Vice-President, a position she still holds.

Arms

Coat of arms of Audrey Emerton, Baroness Emerton

Coronet A Coronet of a Baroness Escutcheon Sable a Cross conjoined to a Bordure Argent between four Ancient Lamps the spouts inwards and enflamed Or Supporters On either side a Dragon Sable gorged with a Collar attached thereto a Chain reflexed over the back and grasping in the interior forefoot a Stave terminating in an eight-pointed Maltese Cross Argent Motto PRO FIDE PRO ULTILITATE HOMINUM (For the Faith, for the service of mankind) Orders Order of the British Empire circlet (Appointed DBE 1989)