Category: Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – December 2017

On By In Disability, Diversity, Inclusion, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month

On 3 December it is International Day of Disabled Persons and with that in mind we have chosen Jonnie Peacock as our Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month.

At the age of 5, Jonnie contracted meningitis, resulting in the amputation of his right leg, just below the knee.  He had always been a very positive young boy and despite initial difficulties soon got used to his new leg.

Jonnie had always loved sport particularly football but that was not an option with his prosthetic but at the age of 15 whilst waiting for an appointment at his prosthetic centre he saw a poster inviting anyone interested in sport to attend a talent identification day.  Jonnie was allowed to go and tried his hand at a number of different sports, however it was athletics that suited him best and his attendance at the event started his journey to becoming an international athlete.

He ran his first international race at the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester in May 2012 and at the 2012 Paralympics, just four years after seeing the poster, Jonnie won the 100m T44 final with a time of 10.90 seconds, claiming the gold and the Paralympic record in the process. In 2016 at the Rio Paralympics Jonnie defended his title and in 2017 he won the World Championships in London.

In September this year Jonnie joined Strictly Come Dancing becoming the first disabled person to compete on the show with the idea that he could show everyone what an amputee could do rather than not do. Jonnie was partnered with Oti Mabuse and despite not having danced before made it all the way to week 9.  Despite his disappointment Jonnie was honoured to be the first disabled person on the show and thanked the panel for judging him as an equal.

Jonnie was awarded an MBE in 2013 for services to athletics.

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – October 2017

On By In Diversity, Ethnicity, Gender, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month, Race

October is Black History Month and with that in mind we have chosen Shirley Thompson as our Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month.

Shirley is an English composer who became the first woman in Europe, within the past 40 years, to have composed and conducted a symphony with her New Nation Rising, A 21st Century Symphony written in 2002.

Shirley was born in London to Jamaican parents. Her early musical experience included playing the violin in various youth symphony orchestras in London, and choral singing with local choirs in Newham. She graduated in music from Liverpool University and in composition from Goldsmiths’ College.

After university she composed a body of solo and instrumental ensemble works for concert hall as well as working as a freelance composer of music for TV, films and the theatre. She set up the Shirley Thompson Ensemble in 1994 and this became the main vehicle for her instrumental and vocal works that fused contemporary classical orchestrations with popular and world music styles.

Shirley was the first woman to compose and musically direct music for a major drama series at the BBC and she also directed the film Memories in Mind, which was broadcast by the BBC in 1998.  She also co-scored the award-winning ballet PUSH, which premiered in 2005 which has since toured the world in major and prestigious venues.

Shirley has composed for opera, orchestra, contemporary dance, TV and film. Some of her other works include:

  • The Woman Who Refused to Dance– for solo singer, speaker and orchestra
  • Spirit of the Middle Passage– for solo singers, speaker and orchestra
  • Viola Concerto, Oslo Odyssey– for orchestral and electronic instruments and multi-media
  • 100 Days of Barack Obama– for solo voice, instrumental ensemble and video projection
  • The Lodger– theatrical music
  • A Child of the Jago– opera
  • Tapestry Song Cycle– for soprano and instrumental ensemble 

In 2010 Shirley was included in the “Power List of Britain’s 100 Most Influential Black People 2010”.  In April 2016 she was honoured with the Luminary Award (presented to people of Caribbean heritage) who have made significant, outstanding contributions on an international scale or have brought to prominence issues that affect the Caribbean region.

To find out more about Shirley and her work see her website at http://shirleythompsonmusic.com/

To find out more about Black History Month see the website at http://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – September 2017

On By In Age, Disability, Diversity, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month

September is World Alzheimer’s Month and with this in mind we have chosen David Baddiel as our Inspirational Diversity Champion of the month.

 David one of Britain’s most popular comedians. He was first known as one of the stars of The Mary Whitehouse Experience and then Newman and Baddiel In Pieces. In 1992, with Rob Newman, David performed to 12,500 people in the UK’s first ever arena comedy show.

In 1994 David and Frank Skinner created Fantasy Football League allowing them to talk about football for a living for over 10 years. The pair, along with The Lightening Seeds, wrote the iconic unofficial England anthem ‘Three Lions’, which has been number one three times and is still heard at games around the world.  In 2000 David and Frank created the hit ITV show Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned, going out live and unscripted for over 60 episodes. They joined up together again in 2006 and 2010 to record one of the first hit podcasts, Baddiel and Skinner’s World Cup Podcasts, live from Germany and South Africa. The show was downloaded over a million times and was one of the first podcasts to be nominated for a Sony award.

Away from the screen David has been writing for nearly 20 years. He has published seven books to date and in 2010 David wrote his first movie with the hit indie film The Infidel, starring Omid Djalili, Richard Schiff, Matt Lucas and Miranda Hart.

After nearly 15 years away David returned to the stage in 2013 with his critically acclaimed show FAME: Not The Musical.

David is also an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society.  His Dad is currently living with Pick’s Disease a form of Dementia and this was the subject of his stage show ‘My Family: Not the Sitcom’ and Channel 4 documentary ‘The Trouble with Dad’.

David wants to use comedy to talk about dementia to raise awareness of what dementia is, and how it affects every person differently. He is joined forces with the Alzheimer’s Society to continue this conversation and to encourage others to unite against dementia so no-one has to face the condition alone.

To find out more about World Alzheimer’s Month see here

https://www.alz.co.uk/world-alzheimers-month

To find out more about David see his website http://www.davidbaddiel.com/

 

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – August 2017

On By In Age, Disability, Diversity, Equality, Ethnicity, Gender, Inclusion, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month, LGBT, Mental Health, Race, Religion, Transgender

International Youth Day is on 12 August and as 2017 marks the 25th anniversary of the Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT) we have chosen them as our Inspirational Diversity Champion of the month for their with the local community and programmes for young people.

The community programme was established in 1992 and became Charlton Athletic Community Trust in 2003. Known as CACT, it is famed for its work in its local communities and has scooped numerous prestigious industry awards over recent years.

The community initiative began when the football club returned to The Valley in 1992. It started with just one member of staff, a bag of footballs and a telephone and has now grown into an organisation that employs 100 permanent staff, has a pool of over 100 casual coaches and engages with thousands of people on a weekly basis.

CACT uses the power of football and sport to engage, empower and provide positive opportunities and activities for young people.

The trust delivers successful community programmes is the following areas:

  • Education
  • Social Action and Enterprise
  • Early Help And Prevention
  • Equality, Diversity And Inclusion
  • Football And Sports Development
  • Youth Services
  • Health Improvement

 As well as young people the trust has many other initiatives in the community, with their work on mental health in the over 65 age group, recently being nominated for a national award.

The university has strong connections with the football club and continue to be a patron following a three year period as the shirt sponsor.  Our LGBT+ staff network have continued links with Proud Valiants, Charlton’s LGBT+ fans’ group and the trust have often attended university events, particularly in relation to their stop smoking campaign.

To find out more about CACT and the excellent work that they do go to their website at http://www.cact.org.uk/

Follow them on twitter at https://twitter.com/CAFCTrust

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – July 2017

On By In Disability, Diversity, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month

Disability Awareness Day is on 16 July and with this in mind we have chosen Henry Fraser as our Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month.

In 2009 at the age of just 17 Henry was injured whilst on holiday with his friends.  He dived into the sea as he had done many times before, hit a sandbank and sustained major injuries to his neck, leaving him paralysed from the shoulders down.  Henry was a senior prefect at his school, he was extremely fit and played rugby for Saracens RFC academy.

Henry’s road to recovery has been long and difficult but since his accident he has shown extraordinary courage and is determined to make the most of life and share his experiences with others.

He enjoys great success as a motivational speaker, delivering his ‘Pushing Myself’ talk to a number of high profile businesses and sports teams, including Saracens and England 7’s.

Henry has also become an artist, painting with his mouth, something he became interested in following his accident.  He has painted many famous people and held successful exhibitions.

He also established Henry’s Trust, which aims to raise funds to help him achieve an independent lifestyle.

In 2016 the Rugby Players Association (RPA) awarded him the Blythe Spirit Award for his remarkable achievements.

To find out more about Henry see here:

http://www.henryfraser.org/

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – June 2017

On By In Disability, Diversity, Gender, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month

National Cancer Survivor’s Day is on 4 June and with this in mind we have chosen Jeff Stelling as our Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month.

Jeff was brought up in Hartlepool and after leaving school his first job was as a journalist at the Hartlepool Mail.  Jeff has worked on many TV shows over the years as a sports reporter or presenter starting on Radio Tees in the 1970’s. In 1994, he became the presenter of Sports Saturday (which became Gillette Soccer Saturday), a programme of football discussion and live reports on the afternoon’s games.

In March 2016, Jeff decided to march from his beloved Hartlepool United to Wembley Stadium in an attempt to raise awareness of, and money for, prostate cancer, a disease killing one man every hour in the UK.  On the way, Jeff and his close friend, Russ Green (former CEO of Hartlepool United), walked 10 marathons in 10 days, visiting 32 football clubs and clocking up 262 miles.

This year on Friday 2 June Jeff will set off from St James Park, the home of Exeter City, in an attempt to walk 15 marathons in 15 days the equivalent of 400 miles and visit over 40 football clubs, reaching Newcastle United’s St James’ Park on Friday 16 June.

Last year the march raised £420,000, and helped get the problem of prostate cancer on the agenda of millions of people across the UK.

Jeff was named Sports Broadcaster of the Year for four successive years by the Sports Journalists’ Association  and on 12 March 2010, he was granted the title of honorary freeman of his home town of Hartlepool.

To find out more about Jeff’s March for Men see here

https://prostatecanceruk.org/get-involved/march-for-men/jeff-stellings-march-for-men

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – May 2017

On By In Disability, Diversity, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month

Deaf Awareness Week takes place from 15 to 21 May and with this in mind we have chosen Paul Whittaker as our Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month.

Paul was born with a hearing loss and has been profoundly deaf since the age of 8. He is an organist and pianist, having gained his ARCO and ALCM diplomas whilst still at school. In 1983 he was accepted at Wadham College, Oxford, to read for a music degree, followed by a post-graduate performance course at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, in 1986.

In 1988 Paul founded the charity, Music and the Deaf, to help deaf people access music and performing arts, covering resources, talks and lectures, training events, workshops, signed concerts, dance and theatre performances.

Paul was awarded a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship in 1992 to research music among deaf communities in the USA and in the same year he began giving signed theatre performances in London and across the UK.  In 2010 he provided the first ever signed Prom, “Sondheim at 80”, which was also broadcast on BBC2, and followed that with a performance of “Porgy and Bess” with Opera Lyon at the Edinburgh International Festival. He has also signed for Rambert Dance Company and with “The Sixteen” choir.

In 2005 Paul was invited to attend a reception to celebrate British Music at Buckingham Palace, and the same year received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Huddersfield, in recognition of his music education work with deaf people.

Paul was awarded an OBE for services to Music in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2007.

To find out more about Paul and his work see his website http://www.paulwhittaker.org.uk/

To find out more about the charity Music and the Deaf see here http://www.matd.org.uk/

 

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – April 2017

On By In Disability, Diversity, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month

Kadeena Cox

MS Awareness Week runs from 24 -30 April and with this in mind we have chosen paralympian Kadeena Cox as our Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month.

A sprinter from an early age, Kadeena entered para-athletics in 2015 after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. In her first international competition, she won T37 100m gold at the IPC Athletics World Championships.

Kadeena began her cycling journey in June 2015 with her first major success being at the British Cycling National Track Championships where she won the first British title of her career in the C1-5 500 metre time-trial. She was selected for the 2016 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships, and won the 500 metre time-trial in a new world record time of 37.456.

This victory allowed Kadeena to complete the unique achievement of becoming a world champion in two different sports and in 2016 in Rio, she became the first British Paralympian since 1984 to win gold medals in multiple sports at the same Games.

Kadeena is an Ambassador for the MS Society and uses her profile to raise awareness of the condition.

She is currently combining life as an international athlete with her university studies to become a physiotherapist, which she started prior to her diagnosis and hopes to graduate in 2018.

To find out more about Kadeena visit her website http://kadeenacox.co.uk/about-me/

To find out more about MS Awareness Week see here

https://www.mstrust.org.uk/get-involved/ms-awareness-week

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – March 2017

On By In Diversity, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month, LGBT

On 1 March it is World Book Day and on the 8 March it is International Women’s Day.  With this in mind we have chosen Jeanette Winterson as our inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month.

Jeanette is an award-winning English writer, who became famous with her first book, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, a semi-autobiographical novel about a sensitive teenage girl rebelling against conventional values.  This book won the 1985 Whitbread Prize for a First Novel, and was adapted for television by Jeanette in 1990.  Some of her other novels have explored gender polarities and sexual identity.

Jeanette is a two-time winner of the Lambda Literary Award, which focuses on LGBT issues and she won the E. M. Forster Award in 1989.  In 2016, she was chosen as one of BBC’s 100 Women.

In 2012, she succeeded Colm Tóibín as professor of creative writing at the University of Manchester.

In 2006 Jeanette received and OBE for services to literature.

To find out more about Jeanette and her work please see her website

http://www.jeanettewinterson.com/

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – February 2017

On By In Diversity, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month, LGBT

February is LGBT History Month and with this in mind we have chosen Kate Richardson-Walsh as our Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month.

Kate is an Olympic Gold and Bronze medal winning hockey player. She was capped a record 375 times for her country and was the England and Great Britain Captain for 13 years.  She started playing hockey at school aged 11 and it took her only nine years to progress to represent her country at the Olympic Games. Kate made both her England and Great Britain debuts in 1999 and has since gone on to play at the full range of international tournaments including four Summer Olympics, four Hockey World Cups and four Commonwealth Games.   In 2003 aged 23 years old she was made captain of the senior GB hockey team, a role she held for a further 13 years until her retirement in 2016.

At the 2012 London Olympics Kate’s remarkable character and determination to set an example and lead her team was highlighted by the fact that she returned to play in the tournament having broken her jaw during a game only three matches earlier in the competition.  The team with her inspiration went on to win the Bronze medal.

At the Rio Olympics in 2016 Kate captained Great Britain team to their first gold medal. The team were undefeated throughout the tournament, beating The Netherlands in the final on penalties.  A feat which saw her being selected to be the Team GB flag bearer at the closing ceremony

Following the 2016 Olympics and after 375 appearances for her country, 19 medals, 49 goals and 13 years as GB and England Captain, she confirmed her retirement from International hockey.  She is currently taking the opportunity to play club hockey in the Netherlands.

Kate currently serves as an ambassador for the Women’s Sport Trust, supports disability hockey as an ambassador for Access Sport, and between 2013 and 2016 she was elected to the British Olympic Association Athletes’ Commission and European Olympic Athlete’s Commissions.

In 2013 Kate married Great Britain and England teammate Helen Richardson and together they made history becoming the first same-sex married couple to win an Olympic Gold medal together and the first married British couple to win Gold together since 1920. In 2017 Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh were both awarded honours, making them the first same-sex married couple to be honoured on the same list.

In 2015 Kate was awarded an MBE for services to hockey and an OBE in the 2017 New Year Honours, also for services to hockey.  In 2016 Kate was the first hockey player to be shortlisted for BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

Kate’s leadership skills, inspiration, determination to succeed and true grit has earned her the nickname ‘Captain Fantastic’ and never has a nickname been better suited.