Pride without Prejudice is the inspirational autobiography of Beverley Pinder OAM, former Miss Universe Australia, glass ceilingbreaking PR businesswoman and former long-serving City of Melbourne councilor. Beverley has always been grateful for the opportunities that Australia gave her and her family, and has believed in repaying that favour whenever possible – mainly through charity work. Beverley’s life’s work has been underpinned by her strong concern for the less-fortunate among us, and her belief in the late Father Bob Maguire’s philosophy of ‘communitarianism’, whereby the whole community benefits from the help offered to those who most need it within each community. Beverley’s story includes pointers for younger generations on how to achieve success in any field of life. Her autobiography includes a few pages where some of the women she has mentored over the years speak with passion and eloquence about the inspiring ‘beauty with brains’, Beverley Pinder.
As a teenage immigrant, Beverley Pinder sought acceptance via charity work and beauty contests. Having represented Australia in the Miss Universe contest, she went into PR, and soon established her own highly successful firm. She served two terms as a City of Melbourne councilor, and supported several charities – which remains a high priority for her. She received a Medal of the Order of Australia in January 2023.
* Pride without Prejudice is the inspirational story of Beverley Pinder OAM. A shy young immigrant from Ceylon, she became Miss Universe Australia in 1978, ran a thriving PR business and was a City of Melbourne councilor. Australia has been good to her, and
she has returned the favour in various ways.
* Beverley’s professional, civic and personal journeys have been anything but smooth. Yet conquering the odds is part of her DNA. In Pride without Prejudice, Beverley openly and generously invites the reader into her confidence, sharing not only her personal story
but the lessons life has taught her.
* Beverley especially enjoyed working with the late Father Bob Maguire, and is proud to have earned the respect and trust of this champion of ‘the unlovely and unloved’. In January ’23, she received a Medal of the Order of Australia for her charity work: the
ultimate confirmation of her acceptance as ‘one of us’ in Australia
* Having wound down her PR business, Beverley is focused on launching Turning Hope Into Action Inc (a new charity to assist the homeless) and continuing the legacy of Father Bob.
* Beverley finds friends wherever she goes – be that walking up the Paris end of Melbourne’s Collins St or serving meals at Sacred Heart Mission in St Kilda. She will use her extensive network of media and personal contacts to generate media and social media
interest in the release of her book, including community events. Expect strong interest from expatriate Sri Lankan communities around Australia, and in Sri Lanka.
