I am too old to be a godmother

I believe God gives me the energy to do all that I have done and traverse the world meeting influential people. I believe we are on this earth for a purpose, not to sit around and do nothing. If we can do something, I got the energy.

I have no children of my own because I have 17 godchildren ranging in age up to 45 years old. Dan the youngest is 12 years old and I reject offers from friends to become a godmother again as I have got enough.

 I am too old and they need younger people. I have a lot of fun with my godchildren and many of them have come to Africa and worked in different countries.

Two of them are trained doctors. We have a lot of interest in medicine as a family; my brother started an eye hospital in India. My siblings all have got children and we have a lot of fun with them including a niece who lives in Dubai and another in the United Kingdom.

I have an elder brother who is retired—he was a lawyer like my parents. I have no sisters but very many friends. I was married but not any more although I have many good friends. I became a baroness after serving for 18 years in the House of Commons and was already working on Africa.

In the 1992 elections, I lost my seat, which was highly predictable because the constituency had been changing dramatically but everybody wanted me to work in Africa. The Prime Minister asked me if I was prepared to continue working in Africa and my answer was obviously yes.

We needed a Minister for Africa and that would be from the Upper House rather than the lower one. Baroness Chalker was created.