Lena Dominelli's academic career included appointments in social work at Warwick University and professorships at Sheffield, Southampton and Durham universities in the UK. Her education led to a first degree from Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, MA (Sussex, 1969), and PhD (Sussex, 1979). Practice roles included work for the Batley Community Development Project. Leadership roles include the presidency of IASSW (1996-2004). Her publications include pioneering work on feminism, anti-racism, community work and green social work. (Some information here drawn from Callahan, 2008.)

What does the award mean to you?

It recognizes the work that I have done over many years with great joy and commitment because I wanted to change the world and make it a better place for everyone. To me, it is a real honour to be linked with someone like Katherine because she meant so much to me and I worked with her for many years. We had several values in common and developed a good relationship as we shared the profession's joys and tribulations. She had a great sense of humour. She used to say to me whenever I was late from my meetings: ‘I will be in my purple pyjamas’, because we shared the same hotel suite. When I was president of IASSW, she would take me to meet all the people that she knew to make sure I did not miss a thing, especially at CSWE meetings. She was a fantastic friend, funny and caring. In later years her physical health declined, but her mind was as sharp as a button. I said in a poem for her ninetieth birthday: ‘Nobody could ever be like you; you’re one of a kind’ and I gave her the title ‘Queen of Social Work’.

In 2008, two years before she died, she was speaking at a UN conference on the Social Work Day. I came on the train with her from her home outside Baltimore. She spoke for ten minutes without notes; I was just amazed at how wonderful she was, still mentally alert. On her hundredth birthday, she was very ill and frail, but again she still talked for ten minutes without notes.