As she received the honorary of Doctor of Letters degree, Barbara Dettering was described as a “formidable force for change” with a “lifelong dedication to civil rights and community development”.

Over six decades, and alongside work as a social worker, Mrs Dettering has fought racial segregation, health inequality and housing discrimination.

After emigrating to Bristol from British Guiana (now known as Guyana) in 1961, she co-founded the Bristol West-Indian Parents and Friends Association, which played a key role the 1963 Bristol Bus Boycott.

She remembers marching for change amid the constant threat of violence, at a time when racist discrimination was rife. So why did she get involved?

“I’m nosy,” Mrs Dettering laughed, before adding humbly: “I just like helping people.”

Asked whether racial discrimination had improved, she said: “The discrimination is still there. Things are a little better, but there is still a long way to go.”

In 1968, Mrs Dettering co-founded St Pauls Carnival.

“It was a long time ago, but who’s counting!” Mrs Dettering said. “Back in the West Indies every bank holiday there was some kind of fair or celebration. [In the UK] there was segregation at the time and we thought we’d do something for ourselves.”

What started as a community fair in a school car park has developed into a major cultural event that attracts some 100,000 people.

Mrs Dettering went on to build organisations that fought sickle cell anaemia and tackled poor housing conditions for Black people in Bristol.

Aged 85, Mrs Dettering’s work continues. She is a trustee of a care organisation, the secretary of a group battling loneliness in the elderly and co-founder of a community theatre group.

In 2019, Barbara was immortalised as one of the ‘Seven Saints of St Pauls’, a series of murals painted by an Michele Curtis, who has herself received an honorary degree from the University of Bristol.

“Bristol has changed in many ways,” Mrs Dettering said. “When I arrived in Bristol, Canon’s Marsh [a city centre suburb] was a bombsite full of rubble where children went to play, now it’s high rises.

“I love Bristol and I wouldn’t live anywhere else - it is my home.”

And her advice for young people wanting to effect change today?

“You've got to be dedicated and do your research, you’ve got to know what you're doing and just persevere and continue and continue. Reach for the stars!” Mrs Dettering said.

Mrs Dettering was introduced to the graduating students by Dr Marie-Annick Gournet, the University’s Associate Professor in Lifelong Learning and Inclusive Pedagogy.

Dr Gournet described Mrs Dettering’s  as a “formidable force for change” and said that her “commitment to social justice and equality has been unwavering for over six decades, and her efforts have help shaped the landscape of civil rights in Bristol and beyond”.

She added: “As we reflect on Barbara’s extraordinary journey, let us draw inspiration from her unwavering commitment to justice and her relentless pursuit of equality.

“Her story reminds us that each of us has the power to make a difference and that through unity and perseverance, we can overcome the challenges that lie before us.”