Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport announces new Chair appointment

The Secretary of State has today announced Blondel Cluff CBE has been appointed Chair of The National Lottery Community Fund for four years, from 2021 to 2025.

Reflecting on her appointment, Mrs Cluff said: “Communities are the very lifeblood of a nation and, as such, I am honoured to have the opportunity to support them as chair of the National Lottery Community Fund at such an important time for us all.”

Mrs Blondel Cluff CBE is a solicitor of over 37 years standing and a Fellow of Kings College, London where she was a member of the college council for several years, focusing on institutional change, governance and investment.

Blondel has held various public appointments for over twenty years, addressing communities, education, health and heritage. The former head of legal at Lazard Brothers, has recently retired as a diplomat, having represented the British Overseas Territory of Anguilla, supporting the territory through Hurricane Irma, constitutional reform and in its preparations for Brexit as a border nation of the EU.

A daughter of Windrushers from Anguilla, Blondel is CEO of the West India Committee, a UK registered charity and Royal Charter institution that is the custodian of a UNESCO inscribed library and collection on the Caribbean and is a Consulting NGO of UNESCO on small island developing nations and heritage.

During the past six years, she has served as chair of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, London and South Committee and also chaired the London Committee of its predecessor, the Heritage Lottery Fund. Blondel is a member of the Royal Mint Advisory Committee that is responsible for the themes and designs depicted on Britain’s coinage.

An author of various works on the Caribbean, Blondel regularly lectures on history and heritage. In 2018 she received a CBE for services to numismatic design and for her work with the Caribbean community in the UK and abroad.

Blondel was co-opted to the Prime Minister’s Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, with focus on education; and is a member of the Windrush Cross Government Working Group, led by the Home Office.

She replaces Tony Burton CBE, who was appointed Interim Chair by the Secretary of State last February. Mr Burton remains a member of The National lottery Community Fund’s Board.