News from The Equality Trust (October 2020)

Since August we’ve been working hard producing our new podcast series, campaigns, speaker events and supporting our local groups.

As always, we hope you are staying safe and well.

Building the movement

Yet again, Wanda has had an incredibly busy couple of months speaking at a host of online events, as well as on the Changing the Narrative – BAME Inequalities podcast. Wanda spoke at Philanthropy Ireland’s event on COVID-19 and racial inequality, at the Centre for Ageing Better’s event Double jeopardy? The cumulative inequalities of age and ethnicity, and to a packed Zoom meeting of students at the University of East London. All of this has been in and amongst running training sessions for youth charity Redthread and taking up the role of Equalities Advisor to the London Recovery Taskforce.

Inequality Bites: The Equality Trust’s new podcast series launches on 19th October

We are very excited to announce Inequality Bites, The Equality Trust’s brand new podcast. Each episode Wanda will be speaking to an activist, academic or researcher on a range of vital inequality issues such as physical and mental health, pay discrimination and wellbeing.

Our first episode, featuring Professor Kate Pickett, will be released on Monday 19th October via The Real Agenda Network, and will be available to listen to on all the usual podcast platforms.

Our 2019 fundraiser continues!

We need your help! We’ve reached 62% of our £25,000 target to raise funds for research into inequality and COVID-19. With your support, we can engage a diverse range of people, ensuring that social power is at the heart of policy making. It could just be the cost of a cup of a coffee or a weekly travelcard but everything will help us to fund a researcher to analyse the impacts of COVID-19 on inequality. If you can donate, then we would be really grateful and thanks so much to those who have already done so.

Please Donate now

We’re looking for a new Chair with the experience, knowledge and skills to lead our Board and support the Trustees to drive growth and impact for the organisation by delivering meaningful change, influencing the political and policy spheres and shifting public opinion. If this could be you, make sure you apply by Friday 9th October at 9am.

Find out more and apply

In the coming weeks watch out for further vacancies, as we advertise posts in research, communications, and organising, as we build our team at this fundamentally crucial time of increasing global inequality. A huge thanks to our funders Tudor Trust, Barrow Cadbury Trust, Trust for London, Friends Provident Foundation, Access/SIB, John Ellerman Foundation, Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and, importantly, you, our supporters. We couldn’t do this work without you.

Vacancy: Chair of the Board of Trustees

Free workshop for London local authorities on enacting the socio-economic duty

Section 1 of the Equality Act 2010, the socio-economic duty, is a powerful tool for local authorities in England to reduce inequality.

On 12th October, we are teaming up with Just Fair to host an online workshop for London’s local authorities on the practical application of the duty and benefits for progressing equality at a local level, based on experiential evidence from councils in the North East of England. The workshop is aimed at anyone working in local authorities across London’s 32 boroughs, including elected councillors and council staff.

If you work in one of London’s local authorities, please join the event and share the details with anyone else you know who may be interested.

Calling all educators: try out our new series of secondary lessons on equal pay

The #EqualPay50 campaign team have been working hard over summer producing a series of interactive PSHE/Citizenship lessons for young people aged 14-18 (KS4 and above) on income inequality, equal pay, and the gender pay gap – all of which are now available to download from our website.

A massive thanks to New College Leicester and youth mentoring charity The Girls’ Network, who are piloting the new resources for Equal Pay Month this November

We’re still looking for more schools to take part, so please share the resources widely with any teachers, headteachers and school governors you know, and get in touch (info@equalitytrust.org.uk) to let us know if your school is taking part.

Tackling health inequalities webinar now available to watch online

As the true scale of health inequalities continues to be highlighted during the pandemic, we e are delighted to share the video from our latest webinar, Tackling health inequalities in light of Covid-19, with Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Farzana Khan (Healing Justice London) and Natalie Creary (Black Thrive).

Nearly 1,000 people joined on the night for a series of presentations and a great discussion on the intersections of health inequalities, race and power.

Cambridge and the climate: Event tonight

Join Cambridge Commons for its event An Equitable Response to the Climate Emergency with Edward Leigh, today from 6pm-7pm.

Edward Leigh will explore the arguments for potential responses to the climate emergency – including artificial intelligence, carbon taxes, carbon rations, universal basic income and universal basic services – from social justice and equality perspectives.

London calling: #FairerLondon manifesto workshop and AGM

It’s been a busy few months for My Fair London. Thirty activists met on Zoom for the group’s AGM, which re-elected Alex Bax (Chair), Sean Baine (Vice-Chair), John Filo (Secretary), and Kathleen Greaves (Treasurer), alongside electing members for a host of new roles. MFL has also been planning it’s manifesto event on Saturday 10th October, where activists will co-create a manifesto for a #FairerLondon. The day will be an opportunity for people to share their diverse, lived experiences and contribute policy suggestions and solutions for a fairer capital.