Today is Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day. Find out more about Shrove Tuesday here .. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrove_Tuesday
Equality and Diversity News
Read the Equality and Diversity news in the new HR Newsletter STAFF MATTERS.
Available here
Equal Marriage Storms Through House of Commons
Message from Ben Summerskill, Chief Executive of Stonewall:
Dear Supporter,
MPs voted by a majority of 225 in favour of the new Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill. The final vote in favour of marriage was 400 to 175 at Second Reading and the Bill will now go into its Commons Committee Stage.
As the last piece of the legislative jigsaw providing equality for lesbian, gay and bisexual people in Britain, this is a truly historic step forward. We’re absolutely delighted that MPs have demonstrated so overwhelmingly that they’re in touch with the twenty-first century.
Happily, the size of the Commons majority seen tonight – much larger than for most normal Government business and somewhat larger than we expected – will make it very difficult for the House of Lords to suggest that the Bill should be rejected. However we still anticipate, as always, a tough battle in the Lords.
We’re grateful to the thousands of Stonewall supporters, many of them straight, who played a big part in tonight’s success by contacting their MPs in support. If you were one of them, thank you.
With very best wishes,
Ben Summerskill
Chief Executive
Epsom Downs Racecourse Plaque for Suffragette Emily Davison
A plaque is to be unveiled at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey in memory of a suffragette who stepped in front of the king’s horse in 1913.
Emily Davison ran out in front of King George V’s horse as it ran in the Epsom Derby on 4 June that year.
She suffered injuries that led to her death four days later in hospital.
A spokesman for the racecourse said the plaque would be unveiled in a private ceremony in April with Davison’s family to mark the centenary of her death. Read more .. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-21335117
Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – February 2013
February is LBGT History Month and with this in mind we have chosen Ben Summerskill as our Inspirational Diversity Champion.
Ben Summerskill OBE is the Chief Executive of Stonewall – the largest gay equality organisation in Europe.
He has successfully expanded Stonewall’s work from parliamentary lobbying into other fields including, workplace equality and campaigning against homophobia in schools. He led successful campaigns for the repeal of anti-gay legislation, the introduction of Civil Partnerships and the introduction protections against discrimination in the provision of “goods and services”, covering areas from healthcare and housing, to hotels and holidays. Highlights of his achievements include leading a successful parliamentary campaign in 2007-2008 for the introduction of a criminal offence of incitement to homophobic hatred and a campaign in 2009-2010 to enable gay people to celebrate civil partnerships in religious premises.
Under his direction, Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme, promoting good practice among major UK employers, has grown from 35 to 600 members, who employ 5.5 million people between them, ranging from IBM and Tesco to the armed services and MI5. Stonewall’s ‘Education for All’ programme, launched in 2005 to help tackle homophobic bullying in Britain’s schools, is supported by 70 major teaching and children’s organisations.
In 2006, he was appointed a Commissioner on Britain’s new Equality and Human Rights Commission. He was awarded an OBE in the 2009 New Year Honours list and was appointed to the committee of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2009. In 2010 he was a finalist as Ernst & Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year and in 2011 he was shortlisted as Britain’s Most Admired Charity Chief Executive in the Third Sector Awards.
Paul Elliott Awarded CBE
Paul Elliott becomes the first black footballer to receive the CBE.
Former Chelsea defender Paul Elliott, a trustee and Kick It Out ambassador, was made a CBE for services to equality and diversity in his sport.
Elliott, who was made an MBE in 2003 for his involvement with antiracism initiatives, is the first black footballer to collect the award.
Dogs for Diversity
Celebrate Difference & Diversity is coming to the University of Greenwich from 25th February.
We are pleased to announce our special feature this year will be ‘Dogs for Diversity‘ featuring:
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People http://www.hearingdogs.org.uk/ and
Canine Partners http://www.caninepartners.org.uk/Index.htm
You’ll get the chance to meet the dogs, learn more about the fantastic assistance work they do, and even watch them in action!
Quick Guides to Religion
Ever wondered about other religions, what they stand for, when their holy days are…? Wonder no more.
The BBC have a ‘quick start’ guide to the major world religions on their Schools page. It gives simplified and concise information, which is easy to read and understand.
Read more here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/
Celebrate Difference and Diversity
UK ‘more positive about disability’ following Paralympics
Three-quarters of Britons feel more positive about the role of people with disabilities in the UK following the Paralympics, a BBC survey three months on from the Games suggests. See more at the BBC website here: