Five year anniversary for North West Equality & Diversity Network

North West E&D Network representatives: Mark Nesbitt, P3 Consultancy; Helen McDermott, New Charter Housing Trust Group; Hazel Neilson, Together Housing Group; David Lovelady, Arcon Housing Association; Claire Wilde, Liverpool Housing Trust; Mahmood Khan, City South Manchester Housing Trust; Beverley Morgan, Places for People; Lynn Bowker, Liverpool Mutual Homes; Clifton Robinson, Housing Diversity Network; Lynn Harrison, Tung Sing

The North West Equality & Diversity (E&D) Network for housing practitioners is celebrating five years of successful promotion of equal opportunities and partnership work in its commitment to good community relations and to end discrimination based on age, disability, gender and gender identity, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation.

More than 25 north west housing associations are represented by this group and over the past five years, the network has written good practice guides on E&D training and Equality Impact Assessments, developed a benchmarking toolkit for E&D Key Performance Indicators, which is now hosted by Housemark, as well as run its own seminars for members.

The Network is currently chaired by Liverpool Housing Trust (LHT) business intelligence manager Claire Wilde, with vice chair, Helen Malone from Trafford Housing Trust. LHT’s Claire Wilde commented: “The NW E&D Network is a great way of sharing experiences and getting up-to-date information and I am proud to be the chair at this point in the Network’s history.”

The group is supported by Housing Diversity Network, a national organisation offering advice and training on E&D.

Founder of the group and E&D officer at Mosscare Housing Group, Aziza Kapadia said: “Many thanks to all members, chairs and vice chairs, past and present and to Housing Diversity Network for their support. Five years and going strong! This reflects just how useful we all find the Network. And the fact it has been replicated across the UK shows innovation in finding a practical solution.”

The anniversary was marked with a celebratory cake cutting at the last meeting at Tung Sing Housing Association.