Category Archives: Diversity

Diversity, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month, Transgender

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – September 2015

Rebecca Root

For our Inspirational Diversity Champion for September we have chosen Rebecca Root. Rebecca is a British actress and stand-up comedian. She is one of the very few openly transgender actors in mainstream television and she is to be the star of the new BBC2 sitcom Boy Meets Girl.

Rebecca graduated from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama with a Master of Arts in Vocal Studies. As well as an actor she is also a voice coach, advertising voice therapy specifically for transgender people to help them “find a voice they feel fits their gender”. She started that career after she transitioned and acting work became harder to find.

Rebecca’s new comedy series Boy Meets Girl starts on
3 September on BBC2 and is the first BBC comedy to feature transgender issues prominently, and the first sitcom to star a transgender actor.

To find out more about Rebecca see her website.

 

Diversity, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month, LGBT

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – August 2015

Charlie Condou

On 12 August it is International Youth Day and with this in mind we have chosen Charlie Condou as our Inspirational Diversity Champion of the month.

Charlie is an actor and writer best known for playing Marcus Dent in Coronation Street. He is a supporter of Manchester Pride, a patron of the Albert Kennedy Trust, and a volunteer for the Terrence Higgins Trust. He also works closely with Stonewall.

We have chosen Charlie for his work with children and families. He is that he is a Patron of the organisation Diversity Role Models. This organisation actively seeks to prevent homophobic and transphobic bullying in UK schools. They stop bullying before it happens by educating young people about difference, challenging stereotypes and addressing the misuse of language. Their workshops feature positive LGBT or straight ally role models who speak directly to young people about their experiences. To date they have worked with over 80 schools and reached over 16,000 young people across the UK.

In 2013 Charlie set up the company Out with the Family, which organises events aimed at LGBT families and straight allies to aid networking of gay parents and children of same-sex parents. The aim is to create a safe and inclusive space where children of LGBT parents can play and engage with others in similar circumstances and not be the odd one out. Parents also have the opportunity to discuss issues in a safe and supportive environment.

To find out more about Out with the Family or Diversity Role Models see their websites at:

http://outwiththefamily.co.uk/
http://www.diversityrolemodels.org/

To keep up to date with what Charlie is doing follow him on twitter at:

Disability, Diversity, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month

Inspirational Diversity Champion – July 2015

Nic Hamilton
On 12 July it is Disability Awareness Day and with this in mind we have chosen Nic Hamilton as our Inspirational Diversity Champion of the month.

Nic is a prime example of ‘you can do anything if you put your mind to it’. Born with Cerebral Palsy, he continuously strives to overcome the pain, strains and struggles that are a result of his disability. He is very determined and believes that his disability will not prevent him from achieving his lifelong dream of becoming a successful racing driver.

With motorsport in the family and therefore in his blood, but both time and physical strength against him, Nic never had the confidence to try motorsport. After years of hard work and dedication in overcoming his condition from wheelchair bound to walking unaided by the age of 17, his parents decided to agree to his request to be allowed to race. He was given the opportunity to race in the highly competitive Renault Clio Cup series. This naturally was a baptism of fire given that this would be his first attempt at motorsport, but he handled the challenges presented to him with the same dedication and determination that his disability presents to him on a daily basis.
Nic had a fantastic first year finishing midfield in the season. The second year proved a little tougher both but he remains determined to achieve his dream. After proving himself to the world of motorsport in just 2 short years, his ambitions are set high with the desire of one day racing in the Deutschen Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), or similar racing series as a motivation to others that disabled life is for living.

In 2013 Nic took part in the European Touring Car Cup driving a SEAT León Supercopa for Baporo Motorsport and in March this year he became the first disabled competitor to participate in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

Diversity, Ethnicity, Gender, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – June 2015

Floella
On 19 June it is World Sickle Cell Day and with that in mind we have chosen Floella Benjamin, a patron of the Sickle Cell Society, as our Inspirational Diversity Champion for this month.

Floella is an actress, author, television presenter, singer, businesswoman and politician. Although she is particularly known as a presenter of children’s programmes such as Play School and Play Away, Floella has also appeared in pantomimes and radio programmes, written and appeared in several educational, religious and entertainment videos and been a narrator with a number of national orchestras.

Floella is also an author having written over 25 children’s books and written many articles for magazines including regular columns in ‘Parents’ and ‘TV Times’. In 1987 Floella set up her own television production company and since then she has produced hundreds of programmes, primarily for children.

Floella has sat on several boards and committees including, Ofcom Content Board, the Millennium Commission, the National Film & Television School and BAFTA.

In 2001 she was awarded the OBE ‘For Services to Broadcasting’ and in 2006, she was appointed as Chancellor of the University of Exeter.

In June 2010 Floella became a life peer with the title Baroness Benjamin of Beckenham in the County of Kent

To find out more about Floella and her work see her website at http://www.floellabenjamin.com/www.floellabenjamin.com or follow her on twitter at https://twitter.com/FloellaBenjamin

Disability, Diversity, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – May 2015

Mark Smith1This month Deaf Awareness Week runs from 4 to 10 May and for this reason we have chosen Mark Smith as our Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month.

Mark is a freelance dancer, teacher, actor and choreographer who was born deaf and diagnosed as profoundly so when he was four. As a young child his mum took his sister to dance school and Mark would have to tag along. He watched the kids dancing and felt the vibration of the music at the same time. Mark used to copy them, dancing at the back of the class where his mother noticed and let him join properly. He was accepted into the Royal Ballet School’s Junior Associates when he was 10, and when he left school he went to London Studio Centre and trained for three years.

Mark didn’t have any deaf artists to look up to and grew up to believe that nothing could stop him. His mother encouraged him to follow his dream and never let his deafness hold him back.

As a dancer Mark was a performer with Firefly, LaRibot and the Aaron Williamson Dance Company and in 2010 Mark formed ‘Deaf Men Dancing’ an innovative and emerging all male dance company. It is a collaboration of male dancers/choreographers who, like Mark, are deaf. Together they have created a fusion of differing styles of dance with sign-language incorporated into the devising and choreography.

Mark has work on numerous productions and shows including the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Paralympics.

To find out more about Mark, Deaf Men Dancing and the rest of his work see his website at http://marksmithproduction.com/marksmith.html

Disability, Diversity, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – April 2015

Alastair photoThis month sees the start of MS Awareness Week and with that in mind we have chosen Alastair Hignell as our Inspirational Diversity Champion of the month.

Alastair is a former rugby player, cricketer and broadcaster who was diagnosed with MS in 1999 and is now the Patron of MS-UK.

Alastair attended Fitzwilliam College at the University of Cambridge and won Blues in both cricket and rugby and was only the second man to captain Cambridge in both sports. By the time he graduated from the University in 1977, he had played rugby for England several times. After university he continued to play rugby for Bristol and England in the winter, played cricket for Gloucestershire in the summer whilst working as a teacher.

Alastair continued to teach until he moved into journalism full-time and he became a respected reporter, as well as working extensively on BBC Radio commentating on both rugby and cricket. He has also written for Wisden Cricket Monthly, Rugby World, the Wooden Spoon Yearbook, Lawrence Dallaglio’s “Rugby Tales”, International match programmes, and New Pathways magazine. When broadcasting duties allowed, he also contributed to the Sunday Telegraph and the Daily Telegraph.  His autobiography “Higgy…Matches, Microphones and MS” was published in September 2011 and was named the Rugby Book of the Year at the British Sports books Awards in May 2012.

Alastair became Patron of Multiple Sclerosis UK (MS-UK) in 2002 and has since been active in raising funds for the charity.  In 2008, inspired by Alastair’s heroic achievements on and off the pitch, Higgy’s Heroes, a fundraising body linked to MS-UK was created. Initially a one-off idea by a group of ex-teammates and opponents who decided to run the London Marathon in tribute to Higgy, the name and the idea continued beyond this one event. Since then there have been a number of Higgy’s Heroes fundraising events largely based on physical achievements or sports activities.

In 2008 Alastair won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Helen Rollason Award  for his work in spreading awareness of multiple sclerosis and in 2009 he was awarded a CBE for services to sport and for his charity work.

For more information about Alastair and his work go to his website at http://www.alastairhignell.com/

 

 

Diversity, Gender, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month, LGBT

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – March 2015

Sandi 1

International Women’s Day will be held on Sunday 8 March and with this in mind we have chosen Sandi Toksvig as our Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month.

A passionate campaigner for equality and human rights, Sandi has led the charge for same-sex marriage in the UK, and is dedicated to celebrating and supporting women in today’s society.

One of the original members of the Comedy Store Players, Sandi’s hugely successful career has spanned several decades across television and theatre. She has written numerous works for the stage including her play Bully Boy at the St James Theatre, and seasons with the Nottingham Playhouse and the New Shakespeare Company at Regents Park.

A renowned broadcaster, Sandi’s work also includes Channel 4’s Fifteen to One, Behind the Headlines, The Big One with Mike McShane, Island Race with John McCarthy, Whose Line is it Anyway? and Call My Bluff. She is also a regular on BBC Radio 4 and is currently host of The News Quiz.

Sandi is the author of more than 20 novels. Her book Hitler’s Canary, which was based upon her family’s experiences living under occupation in Denmark during the Second World War, was published in 2005, and another book for children, Girls Are Best, was published in 2009. Her latest novel Valentine Grey was released in 2012, and she also has a regular column in Good Housekeeping.

In January Sandi was named President of Women of the Year, an organisation that has recognised, celebrated and inspired women of all backgrounds for 60 years and continues to shine a light on extraordinary women through an annual lunch, lecture and on-going foundation work.  She is a long term supporter of the organisation and has compered the annual Lunch & Awards for more than ten years, she  has also been one of the judges.

Sandi entered into a civil partnership with her partner Debbie in 2007. They renewed their vows in March 2014, when same-sex marriage was introduced in England and Wales, and in December 2014, their civil partnership was converted into a marriage.

 

For more information on Sandi, her life and work, see her website at http://sanditoksvig.com/

Diversity, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month, LGBT

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – February 2015

Print

February is LGBT History Month and with this in mind we have chosen the University LGBT Staff Network as our Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month.

This is the first time we have chosen a group of people and the first time we have chosen university staff.  The LGBT Staff Network was born out of a survey in the HR Directorate newsletter Staff Matters asking whether staff would be interested in a network of this type.  The answer was a small but resounding Yes!  The Network had its official launch in September 2013 with a well attended reception being held at our Greenwich Campus.

The Network is supported by senior management at the University with Christopher Hallas as the Senior LGBT Champion and Linda Burke as the Senior Straight Sponsor.  The LGBT Network Committee works very closely with the Equality and Diversity Champion on a number of issues in particular the Stonewall Submission for the Equality Workplace Index and they are the main reason why we have managed to climb up the index to our current position of 182 out of 397 participating organisations.

Since its launch the Network has grown steadily in numbers and holds events throughout the year including ‘Tea on Tuesdays’ on the first Tuesday of every month, an informal drop-in & catch-up session. It’s an ideal opportunity to meet up with colleagues and new acquaintances for a general chat, networking, or to catch-up on the Network’s ongoing\future activities. For details of ‘Tea on Tuesdays’ and other activities and events please visit the ‘What’s On’ page of the Network’s blog.

The LGBT Staff Network is a huge supporter of the annual University Celebrate Difference and Diversity Event and will be taking part again this year.  So come along and see them at their stall in March.

You can also find further information on the Network on the HR webpages at http://www.gre.ac.uk/offices/hr/e-and-d/lgbt-staff-network or follow them on Twitter @UoG_LGBT.

Age, Diversity, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month

Inspirational Diversity Champion – January 2015

Rose Wylie

Our Inspirational Diversity Champion for January is the artist Rose Wylie.

In 2014 Rose won one of the UK’s most prestigious painting awards at the age of 80. The £25,000 John Moores Painting Prize, was Rose’s latest accolade after being belatedly discovered by the art world with her paintings only receiving recognition in the past five years.  She won for her painting ‘PV Windows and Floorboards’, which represents figures at a private view in an art gallery. Unlike the Turner Prize, which excludes artists over the age of 50, the John Moores Prize has no upper age limit.  It was founded in 1957, and previous winners have included David Hockney, Richard Hamilton and Peter Doig.

The prize comes 60 years after she began studying at Folkestone and Dover School of Art.  Rose  resumed her art training at the Royal College of Art while in her mid-40s, having taken time out to bring up her family but it was some years before she began to receive recognition on the art scene.

In 2010, at the age of 76, she was selected to represent the UK in the Women to Watch exhibition at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington DC, which showcases up-and-coming artists.

She received a Paul Hamlyn Award for Visual Art in 2011 and her first retrospective opened the Jerwood Gallery in Hastings in 2012.

Wylie’s work has recently been exhibited in New York and Amsterdam and she has exhibitions planned for Wolfsburg, Dublin and another in New York.

Disability, Diversity, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month

Inspirational Diversity Champion – December 2014

Alex Brooker

The 3rd December is International Day of People with Disabilities and with this in mind we have chosen Alex Brooker as our Inspirational Diversity Champion for December.  Alex is a journalist and TV presenter, best known for his television work with Channel 4.  He was born with hand and arm deformities and a twisted right leg which was amputated when he was a baby.

Alex graduated from Liverpool John Moores University in 2006, following which he worked as a reporter on the Liverpool Echo.  He first appeared on TV as a trackside reporter at the 2011 Paralympic World Cup and at the 2012 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony Alex was seen interviewing Boris Johnson and David Cameron.  During the Games Alex was the co-host of the TV show The Last Leg with Adam Hills and Josh Widdicombe, the show proved so popular that there have now been four series.  Earlier this year Alex co presented the TV show The Jump and in 2013 hosted a documentary about body image entitled ‘Alex Brooker: My Perfect Body’.

In May this year, Alex fronted a campaign called ‘End The Awkward’ by disability charity Scope which used comedy to shine a light on the awkwardness that many people feel about disability. He appeared in three adverts guiding viewers through awkward situations that they may encounter with a disabled person.

In November this year Alex married his fiancée Lyndsey at Hazelwood Castle in Yorkshire.