Zerbanoo Gifford (Irani, No.1, 1962-67) is an author, human rights campaigner, and president of the World Zoroastrian Organisation. She has won numerous awards and holds the International Woman of the Year Award 2006 for her humanitarian work. Zerbanoo has been involved in many charitable organisations both nationally and internationally and is the founder of The ASHA Centre - a charity working for the empowerment of young people, sustainable development and peace & reconciliation worldwide.

1. What is your favourite memory of Roedean?

Sitting gazing at the glorious sunset over Brighton. I used to think if this is God’s doing surely God can do anything. Maybe together we could plan my escape from school alias Colditz.

2. What was the best piece of advice you were given whilst at School?

 Don’t take life too seriously as you will never get out of it alive.

3. When you were at Roedean, what did you want to be when you ‘grew-up’?

I joined Roedean in 1962, the year the Beatles released their first single," Love Me Do". I never thought about growing up as grownups were not ‘cool dudes.’ 

I am not a planner. I am a doer. If something needs doing, I do it with no excuses and no delay. As a teenager I saw homeless people sleeping in the cold and decided that they needed to have a warm home. I approached the chairman of London Transport and cheekily asked if I could use their unused building near Edgware Road station free of charge to start the first Shelter shop. People are unbelievably big hearted especially when caught off guard! This led to me to setting up the first charity shop which was a huge success and led to many more. Those that were homeless ran the shops and empowered themselves. I like being a catalyst for real and good change. At school I loved the Bible story of Jesus telling the lame man to pick up his bed and walk. Jesus did not carry the bed for the man. He gave the man the confidence and courage to heal himself and walk independently. How fantastic is that.

4. What are you now you’ve grown up?

I am the same as I always was. I am just me. I have numerous awards including International Woman of the Year Award 2006 for my humanitarian work and was recently honoured by being unanimously voted the President of the World Zoroastrian Organisation. For those who don’t know who Zoroastrians are, Freddie Mercury was a Zoroastrian as was the founder of the TATA industrial conglomerate and Cyrus the Great (ancient Persian Empire) who gave us the first human rights laws and Dadabhai Naoroji the first ethnic minority member of the British Parliament as early as 1892. The list goes on and recently I have written the Z TO A OF ZOROASTRIANISM: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Living

I am happy to send a copy to any OR who would like to learn more about the oldest monotheism that influenced our world. 

I am also the founder of the ASHA Centre www.ashacentre.org, please look at our work. The ASHA Centre was the main provider of the educational Erasmus plus programme for the young before the disastrous Brexit saga. Thousands of young lives from every country in the world have experienced the ASHA magic.

I have authored numerous books including Thomas Clarkson and the campaign against slavery. Which I wrote when director of the oldest human rights organisation in the world, 'Anti-Slavery International.'

5. What does your job involve?

 My job and life are fortunately flexible. I respond to the needs of others and what the day challenges me with. I always keep in mind that there is no greater wisdom than kindness and that on the day of judgement I will have to justify my life as there is no escaping one’s karma. 

6. What have you done that you are most proud of?

The Avatar, Meher Baba who was born a Zoroastrian used to say that “Pride was the specific feeling through which egoism manifests itself.”

I am proud of still being alive! I have a rare blood disorder 'thrombasthenia' which means that my blood does not clot properly. It was said that I would not last beyond my school days. I have survived the birth of two sons, fifty years of a wonderful marriage, gone through the menopause and now am a working pensioner who gives her blood for medical research. How lucky is that?

7. What are the three objects you would take with you to a desert island?

A manicure set with a scissor, tweezer, and a nail file. I insist on hands and feet being well cared for and clean even on a desert island.

A silk scarf to protect my neck from the sun, wind, rain, and illness. Nothing can penetrate silk and that is why the Chinese kept it a secret from the rest of the world.

Finally, a magic lamp. What fun to be able to call up the Genie of the lamp and ask for a wish and to be able to catch up on the nonsense and pettiness of the world of politics while sunbathing on my paradise island.

8. What books have had a significant influence on you and why?

Having written many books, I do have an extensive library. I also have many books that other authors have personally signed for me, and I am mentioned in. My treasured library is now at the ASHA Centre in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire for everyone to enjoy. I founded the ASHA Centre to enlighten, enrich and empower the young to be their brilliant selves. I was told that my books would be pinched. What a lot of rubbish. If you trust people, they mostly rise to your belief in them. The books are shared bringing a special joy to many people especially the young from around the world.

My all-time favourites are I Ching, an ancient Chinese Divination text. A book of change and wisdom which I consult for insights into human nature. It is elegant, profound, and intuitive.

The Mahabharata, the ultimate in how to understand the eternal laws that govern lives. It states that “You have the right to work but not to the fruits of your work. Let not the fruit of your action be thy motive nor let thy attachment be to inaction.”

My third book would be The Silk Road: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan. How timely that we learn about the history of the world. At school I enjoyed history lessons which were fascinating. We were brilliantly taught to understand the past. I learnt all about British history but nothing about my history. How the world has changed. Today we must accept and engage with our collective story which is interlinked and relevant to how we live now.

9. What is on your bucket list?

I have travelled the world and met the world’s good and the great and more importantly worked with wonderful people at the grassroots. What is left for me to do but to dance the night away? 

10. If you had one year and unlimited funds, what would you do.

I am a proud feminist. It is unbelievable that nowhere in the world are women truly equal. What an indictment on all of us. We have walked on the moon, talk to strangers halfway around the world and have created AI to do our bidding and yet we are unwilling to see half the world’s population experience dignity and equity.

I hope to open with other women and men, the world’s first Women’s International Centre to address the barriers women still face and enable women globally to be their magnificent selves. I have already built the centre with fabulous accommodation and 54 acres of land for experiencing the power of nature in the beautiful Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire. The centre’s opening is delayed because of the lack of an endowment which must be in place before the centre is opened. I am sure there is enough money in the world and must try and find it. My eldest grandson says I need to go on a treasure hunt.

Who knows there may be one extraordinary woman or a group of brilliant women who collectively will make this happen. I have put my wish into the universe and who knows it may be an OR who actualises this great endeavour for all the women of the world. 

The day the Women’s Centre is opened I will write on the entrance of the auditorium the words said by the good witch to Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. “You had the power all along my dear.”