Sarah Clarke (Black Rod)
Sarah Clarke OBE | |
---|---|
Lady Usher of the Black Rod | |
Assumed office 13 February 2018 | |
Monarchs | Elizabeth II Charles III |
Preceded by | David Leakey |
Personal details | |
Born | Wolverhampton, England | 12 October 1965
Alma mater | University of Roehampton University of Leicester |
Sarah Davina Clarke
Before taking this role, she was Championships Director in charge of the administration of
On 11 June 2022, she made a rare public speaking appearance in Liverpool, England to address the Annual Meeting of the Women's Institute.
Early life and education
Clarke was born on 12 October 1965 in
Career in sport
During a thirty-year career, Clarke held many senior positions and board roles, with a broad operational and strategic remit, delivering complex major events and leading operations in a variety of venues across the UK and abroad. Clarke's first job after graduating was working as an event organiser in Durham. By the mid 1990s, she had progressed to heading up player communications in Europe for the Women’s Tennis Association as senior communications manager, at events across Europe and the Far East.
She also worked for the Football Association in the operations and events teams for several years and at Wembley Stadium as operations manager in the late 1990s, combining major sports events with large scale concert delivery.
Between 1996 and 2012, she worked on four Olympic Games, including the
During the late 1990’s she took a year away from sport and major venues and spent time working for the aid agency Care International.
Clarke worked 32
One of her creations as Championships Director was "The List", an ongoing process of capturing details of areas for consideration and improvement from each championship. Interviewed by The Daily Telegraph in 2017, she commented on their quest for perfection, "We live for details. We love details".[7]
Clarke continues to be involved with annual major events such as the London Marathon and RideLondon and also volunteers each year at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
Black Rod
Clarke took up the role as Black Rod[2] in February 2018, succeeding Lieutenant General David Leakey, who retired in December 2017. In that role, she took part in the Royal Procession at the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla.[8]
Clarke heads a department that plays a significant part in the House of Lords Administration's "front of house" delivery to members and the public, with a key role in the day-to-day running of the House's sittings.
In addition, she is responsible for the organisation and delivery of ceremonial events, such as State Opening and state visits to Westminster and for the daily administration of the King’s residual estate in the Palace of Westminster including the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft, the Robing Room and the Royal Gallery. There are also many smaller annual one-off events, which the department delivers each year.
As a central contact point for members of the House during the day-to-day business, the department has responsibility for facilitating and controlling access to the Chamber and the precincts of the House and maintaining order within them. It also plays a leading part in business resilience. It works closely with the Clerks, Security Department, Facilities Department and the R&R teams, as well as external partners where relevant.
The team of more than 30 is key to the smooth day-to-day running of the House of Lords operations via continual coordination and communication with other departments both in the Lords and on a bicameral basis.
She is paid up to £93,000 a year.
Clarke was made a
References
- ^ "Black rod". UK Parliament.
- ^ a b "Sarah Clarke appointed to the role of Black Rod". UK Parliament. November 2017.
- ^ a b "Sarah Clarke appointed to the role of Black Rod". www.wimbledon.com. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
- ^ "The Wimbledon Compendium 2021" (PDF).
- Who's Who 2023. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
- ^ Who's Who 2022. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
- ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- ^ "Coronation order of service in full". BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
- ^ "No. 64008". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 March 2023. pp. D1–D8.