REDP (Not very far) Away Day

Last Thursday was an "away day" for the Regional Equality and Diversity Partnership (REDP). Not very far away though. It's a sign of these austerity times that we've only gone as far as upstairs in the third floor training room at Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living (LCIL). this is the second time this week that I've been involved in an "away day" that's gone no further than upstairs (the other one was with the Management Committee at Network for Change on Tuesday).

We're 18 months into our project at REDP, halfway through our period of guaranteed funding. Time to take stock of what we've achieved so far, what's still to be done - and what future we see for the partnership and our places in it beyond the end of funding in June 2012.

The away day is facilitated by Bob Clarke, who drafted the original business plan that helped us win the bid, and who conducted an evaluation of the project at the end of its first year. I like Bob. Bob is cool.

We start off with just the four Core Partners of REDP:

• Leicester Council of Faiths - represented by me;
• Leicester Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Centre - represented by their Director, Ian Robson;
• Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living - represented by their CEO, Dee Martin;
• The Race Equality Centre (TREC) - represented by their CEO, Iris Lightfoote.

We consider the original aim of the project and discuss to what extent this has been achieved:

To establish an effective regional equality and diversity partnership that can provide a voice for voluntary sector organisations on equality issues and ensure that national and regional information relating to equality issues is cascaded through infrastructure organisations to frontline bodies. Our overall aim is to provide a mechanism by which equality is embedded in regional thinking.

We carry out a similar exercise for the objectives originally agreed for the project:

• To ensure the partnership becomes the hub of influence in the region for infrastructure organisations.
• To develop links into the network of strategic government departments and agencies working on equality and diversity issues.
• To help East Midlands organisations which are working on the recognised equality strands tap into the wider networks promoting and challenging equality and diversity policies and practices across the region.

After the Core Partners have gone through these tasks for almost two hours, we're joined by Laura Horton (REDP Project Manager) to discuss some of the practical aspects of our work.

At lunchtime, we're joined by members of the the wider REDP team, bringing in more people from the four Core Partners. We've grown from four (plus Bob) when we started in the morning to ten (plus Bob) now. I'm pleased that Tony Nelson, Vice Chair of Leicester Council of Faiths (and a member of my management group from day one) is able to be here too.

We spend the next few hours largely going over the same issues and questions that we addressed this morning, but this time with a bigger number of participants and differing input.

We've read three papers in particular form central government in preparation for today. Here are the links, so you can follow them up yourself if you feel so inclined, faithful reader:

Decentralisation and the Localism Bill: an essential guide (published 13 Dec 2010 by HM Governement)
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/localgovernment/pdf/1793908.pdf

The Equality Strategy: Building a Fairer Britain (published Dec 2010 by HM Government)
http://www.equalities.gov.uk/pdf/GEO%20Equality%20Strategy%20tagged%20version.pdf

Building a Big Society (published Mar 2010 by the Conservative Party)
http://www.conservatives.com/News/News_stories/2010/03/~/media/Files/Downloadable%20Files/Building-a-Big-Society.ashx

- George M Ballentyne (REDP Core Partner)

Equality Madness

I couldn't resist that headline. It reminds me of those alarmist, hysterical, shrieking titles of trashy novelettes and movies of the 40s and 50s, such as "Reefer Madness". And what's that text above the headline? "Government spends £30 million to discover whether preserving fish stocks harm ethnic Chinese, or hovercraft discriminate against gays". Now read on ...

The government has been accused of wasting tens of millions of tasxpayers' money to comply with controversial new equality laws that force organisations to prove they are not discriminating against minority groups.

Whitehall departments have already issued a string of bizarre reports to meet the terms of the Equality Act 2010.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) paid £100,000 to consultants who produced a report investigating how efforts to boost Britain's coastal fish stocks would affect minority communities including the Chines, homosexuals and Welsh speakers.

And the Department for Transport issued a study this month looking at harassment and discrimination on ships and hovercraft. The report covered a range of groups, including transsexuals [referred to as "gays" in the strapline, you'll note.]

There's an in-depth report on a double-page spread inside the paper. Read the full article here (then go take a shower):
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1349691/Governments-30m-equality-discover-hovercrafts-discriminate-gays.html

It's almost Burns Night. As I was writing this blog entry, a few lines from Burns's poem, "To a Louse", came to mind:

O wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!

REDP Equality Update Event - Derbyshire

Early start this morning. Off to South Normanton, Derbyshire, for the first in a series of update events on the Equality Act 2010, offered by the Regional Equality and Diversity Partnership (REDP).

I catch the 0715 to Melton Mowbray station (just one stop from Leicester). Just before 0800, Laura Horton, Project Manager for REDP (and on the right in photo above) picks me up from outside the station and we're on our way.

Some slow moving traffic means we reach South Normanton at 0930. The meeting is in the Post Mill Centre, which is fairly easy to find in this small town. It doesn't take us long to set up. We're joined by five representatives from equality-based Voluntary and Community Sector groups working in the area. Starting at 1000, Laura and I present an overview of the "equality landscape" (central government's phrase, not ours) with a little bit of PowerPoint and lot of chatty interaction.

We're doing half a dozen or so sessions like this over the next few weeks. I'm involved in helping present another two (in Northampton and in Nottingham). I love how REDP gets out and about, mixing it up among the people on the ground, the ones who do the actual work, in some places that wouldn't normally be considered for this kind of event, away from the bigger population centres. Keeping it real!

by George M Ballentyne - REDP Core Partner

NHS Voluntary Sector Consultation

To the University of Nottingham, the Innovation Park, Jubilee Campus. The space-age looking Sir Colin Campbell Building there (photo above) is the venue for a consultation between NHS East Midlands and representatives of the Voluntary and Community Sector in the region, on "Liberating the NHS". I'm there, representing the Regional Equality and Diversity Partnership (REDP), along with Tonia Frew from Leicester LGBT Centre and Liz Harrison from Leicestershire Centre for Integrated living (LCIL).

The event is hosted by Maqsood Ahmed, Head of Inclusion for NHS East Midlands. This is the third time I've been at a meeting addressed by Maqsood, who was guest speaker at Leicester Council of Faiths AGM in October.

Around 40 people are in attendance, representing a variety of organisations, such as:

African Institute for Social Development

Alzheimer's Society

AWAAZ, Asian Mental Health Resource Unit

Bassetlaw District Council

BME Community Development Project

Centre for Social Justice

Citihealth Nottingham

Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Derbyshire Friend

Derbyshire Mental Health Services NHS Trust

East Midlands Cancer Network

Leicester Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Centre

Leicester LINk

Leicestershire Centre for Integrated Living

Lincolnshire LINks

Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

NHS East Midlands

NHS Leicester City

NHS Lincolnshire PCT

NHS Nottingham City

NHS Nottinghamshire County

Nottingham University Group

Nottinghamshire County Council

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

Nottinghamshire Royal Society for the Blind

University Hospitals Leicester NHS Trust

Opportunities and challenges in the ongoing restructuring of the NHS which are of particular relevance to organisations like ours were front and centre of our discussions here today, such as:

• embedding inclusion and equality into new structures: Department of Health; NHS Board; GP consortia; Health Watch England; local Health Watch.
• role of voluntary sector; supporting groups with protected characteristics.
• effectively engaging diverse patients, carers, excluded groups and those with protected characteristics.
• measurement and accountability of equality outcomes.

REDP is the only organisation from the Voluntary and Community Sector exhibiting today. Normally we have to fight for space at events like these. At EMAS's "Community in Unity" event at Nottingham Council House at the start of November last year, we had to make do with half a table top.

At the end of the session, I'm given five minutes to introduce REDP, say why we're here and encourage further involvement in our project. This appears to be received positively, with a number of strong contacts and definite leads.

- George Ballentyne - Leicester Council of Faiths 

To view George's blog, please click here

Equality Britain

The Regional Equality and Diversity Partnership has a prominent entry in Equality Britain 2011. This is a national resource which enables people from all sections of society to find organisations committed to the establishment, maintenance and promotion of equality and diversity.

With a following of thousands, Equality Britain is fast becoming a useful resource for employers, job seekers, students and those looking for more information on equality issues. With dedicated sections for employment, housing, education, sport, and adoption and fostering amongst other themes and topics, this is a valuable resource for all sections of the community.

As well as REDP having its own entry, so the our four core partners (shown in the photo above). Here's proof, if it were needed, of the benifits obtained from working in partnership.

Disability poser

This letter is published in today's Leicester Mercury:

Disability poser

The article concerning the young man who used his friend's gym membership provoked many different comments (Mercury, December 9).

Could anyone please tell me how many successful prosecutions have been brought in Leicester or Leicestershire under the Disability Discrimination Act?

Have there been any for providing less than satisfactory education for any child who would be covered by the Act, including learning differences?

Sue Whiting, Oadby

National Inter Faith Week

National Inter Faith Week ran from Sunday 21st to Saturday 27th November 2010, with activities taking place all over the country designed to strengthen good inter faith relations at all levels in our society. More information about Inter Faith Week can be found here.

In Leicester, the Leicester Countil of Faiths had a stall in the High Cross shopping centre with banners and information. George Ballentyne, who is one of the core partners of REDP, as well as the Equality and Diversity Officer for the Council of Faiths, helped to organize and run this stall, but was helped out by volunteers during the week, including Liz Harrison and Kelly Jussab from REDP (pictured)

To view George's blog updates from the week, please click here

Bad attitude to disability?

This letter is published in today's Leicester Mercury:

Bad attitude to disability?

My good lady friend is somewhat disabled; due to a heart condition and to arthritis she cannot walk in comfort, and the distance she can cover before she has to stop is approximately 50 yards.

Clearly a visit to the shops – one of her great pleasures – is impossible without some form of assistance.

When she first became ill we tried a conventional wheelchair with me as the power source. Be it recorded that I never stopped in the right place or at the right distance for her to examine whatever she wanted to examine. We therefore resorted to an electric disability scooter.

It would seem, judging by your columns, that these devices are not popular with a certain section of the community. In fact, it has suggested that only qualified persons with driving certificates, insurance and tax should be allowed to drive these vehicles.I would like to know more about these objectors. I have a vision (all too common in reality, I am afraid) of able-bodied persons, Walkman or mobile telephone glued to their ears, gazing at friends and/or shop windows and expecting everybody to get out of their way. Worse, I imagine these people riding bicycles, especially in areas where it is illegal.

Disillusion me please; why should the disabled and elderly be house-bound so that you can walk about at your pleasure? Why are you not condemning bicycle riders, especially children, some of whom have no thought for anyone, as well?

Could it be that the sight of disability disturbs you? If so, what are your thoughts on those who are fighting and being wounded on your behalf abroad?

Dr D A C McNeil, Birstall

Doctor fighting religious discrimination claims

This article is published in today's Northants Evening Telegraph:

Doctor fighting religious discrimination claims

A Christian doctor who resigned from the county's adoption panel told an employment tribunal she believes children placed with same-sex couples are more likely to become gay themselves.

Dr Sheila Matthews, 52, of Kettering, who is bringing a case of religious discrimination against Northamptonshire County Council, said she began researching the issue of same-sex adoption after a training course in March 2004.

She told the hearing in Leicester yesterday: "The child is likely to be subjected to attitudes and influences which promote homosexual relationships rather than heterosexual relationships.

"This means children are more likely to consider or be involved in homosexual relationships themselves.

"Lesbian communities often present an anti-male bias and this may be difficult for boys. Boys without a father can grow up believing the father role is not important and will lack a good role model for being a father themselves or having a healthy heterosexual relationship."

Dr Matthews, a community paediatrician with the council since 1991, was on a panel responsible for interviewing couples hoping to adopt but asked permission to abstain from voting in cases where homosexuals applied to adopt due to her beliefs.

She lost her job last year but was partially reinstated to the panel without any voting rights – in both cases of homosexual and heterosexual couples. She resigned in March last year.

She said: "As a Christian, my faith leads me to believe that marriage between a man and a woman in a faithful monogamous sexual relationship is the most appropriate environment for the upbringing of children.

"The Bible is also clear that homosexual practice is not how God wants us to live."

She added: "Having considered research and opinions from different sources I became aware there was evidence to suggest that children placed with same sex couples did less well. I am aware that there are different viewpoints but I believe that there are many reasonable people who believe as I do.

"The gay lifestyle is one which attracts risks for many reasons and it is not appropriate to encourage children towards it. These risks include mental health problems, including depression, suicide and substance misuse. There is increased incidence of sexually transmitted diseases and certain cancers.

"The overarching principle of adoption is to seek the best interests of the child who has already experienced disadvantage."I believe that I am being discriminated against on the grounds of my religion or belief, a belief that is supported by rational scientific research."

Martin Pratt, the council's former head of services for children, young people and families, told the tribunal: "I asked her whether she could consider applicants on their merits. She said she could not.

"She did not believe it was in the interests of the child to be adopted by a same-sex couple.

"She said she had a religious objection and made reference to there being some research.

"Both of these were part of Dr Matthews' reasoning for her decision.

"Primarily it was a religious matter, I think. Her inability to act fully in her capacity posed a serious problem."

The three-day hearing is expected to finish today.

Community in Unity Event

To Nottingham this morning for "Community in Unity", an event led by East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS), at the city's Council House. I'm here representing the REDP, along with Project Officer Kelly Jussab and Researcher Carolyn Pascoe.


There's a range of displays, covering different aspects of EMAS's work as well as other patient support services in the region, such as:

• Amaani Tallawah
• Awaaz Asian Mental Health Resource Unit
• Bassetlaw Primary Care Trust
• Community Building Services
• Cooperative Community Action
• Digital Switchover Help Service
• Nottingham University Hospitals Patient and Public Involvement
• Sherwood Forest Hospitals

The morning session begins with a brief dramatised presentation by Amaani Tallawah (whose name means "Peace and Impressive Strength"). This group has been supporting and empowering the African Caribbean community in Nottingham on mental health issues for over 20 years. Right after that we launch into a "World Cafe" consultation (as popularised throughout the region by REDP), involving a mix of practitioners, managers, strategists, service users, patients and their carers. What would appear to be small issues for the NHS can appear insurmountable obstacles to individuals and their families. In these times of straitened circumstances, service providers have to put their heads together and see how to tackle such issues and make the most of their resources, in terms of budgets and personnel.


- George Ballentyne - Core Partner, REDP and Equality and Diversity Officer, Leicester Council of Faiths