Veronica Moraa made history as the first black woman and Kenyan to be appointed Royal Air Force (RAF) Honorary Air Commodore.
She was appointed by King Charles III as His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for the County of Nottinghamshire in a statement released by the Prime Minister’s office.
In the course of her work, Moraa has had the pleasure of rubbing shoulders with royalty including the late Queen Elizabeth, and the current King of England and his wife.
Here is her story as told by EAFeed.
Moraa was born and raised in Kenya, and moved to England in the 1960s together with her parents who settled in East London.
After completing her studies, she worked as a social worker and children’s guardian before securing a job at the United Nations (UN) where she served as International Child Protection Consultant.
Her role at the UN included working with the judiciary and non-governmental organisations supporting vulnerable people and their families in the UK and parts of Africa.
In 2013, Moraa was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant for Nottinghamshire.
The appointment was followed by an approval by Her Majesty the Queen as an RAF Honorary Air Commodore for 504 (Nottingham County Squadron) in 2018.
Following the approval, Moraa was a Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Council Member and also a National Ambassador for the Woodland Trust.
She was also an Ambassador for many organisations and charities across the world.
In 2021, Moraa was appointed by King Charles as the High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire having served as a Deputy Lieutenant for Nottinghamshire.
This made her the first black person to hold that position.
Her duties revolve around supporting the Crown, maintaining law and order and the administration of justice.
Reflecting on the appointment, Moraa said, “I am absolutely delighted and privileged to be taking up this historic role and also to be the first woman of colour in Nottinghamshire to be High Sheriff
“In my year in office I will be focusing on highlighting the achievements of young people and the communities and organisations that support them.”
Following this achievement, she awarded with the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (M.B.S.) in 2022 by former president Uhuru Kenyatta.
