A unique story of resilience, success, love and the importance of always giving back

Pride without Prejudice is the inspirational autobiography of Sri Lankan-born Beverley Pinder OAM: A former student of St Lawrence’s School, Wellawatte (1960-68), Miss Universe Australia 1978, glass ceiling-breaking PR businesswoman and former long-serving City of Melbourne councillor.

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 invites the reader into her confidence, sharing not only her personal story but the lessons life has taught her.

Beverley's story includes some domestic turmoil as she was growing up, and the highs and lows of three marriages. Along the way, she encounters celebrities and Captains of Industry including Sir Richard Branson, Ita Buttrose, Solomon Lew, David Bardas, Robert Doyle and Derryn Hinch.

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’, where we all benefit 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 (including Sally Grero formerly Machado) speak with passion and eloquence about the inspiring ‘beauty with brains’, Beverley Pinder.

Pride without Prejudice is available now at Barefoot Bookstore and online https://barefootceylon.com/collections/bookshop. Beverley will be donating the profits from sales of her book to the homelessness charity she helped start: Turning Hope into Action Inc.

About the author:

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. Throughout her life, Beverley has given back to the community however and wherever she can. She served two terms as a City of Melbourne councillor, and continues as a passionate supporter and advocate for a number of local charities. She received a Medal of the Order of Australia in January 2023. Pride without Prejudice is her debut book about her life. www.beverleypinder.com