Kent Equality Cohesion Council

Tag: Dev Sharma MBE

  • Dev Sharma MBE Chair of Kent Equality Cohesion Council 1940-2024

    Dev Sharma MBE Chair of Kent Equality Cohesion Council 1940-2024

    Dev Sharma MBE Chair of Kent Equality Cohesion Council 1940-2024

    It is with great sadness that Kent Equality Cohesion Council announces the passing of its Chair Dev Sharma MBE following a short illness.

    Dev worked tirelessly in the community since the 1970’s promoting community cohesion and assisting victims of racial harassment. This work led him in helping to establish the Dartford and District Racial Equality Council in 1990 working with like-minded members from the local community including the Chair Darshan Singh Sandhu MBE.

    His vision and dedication then led to the expansion of this work beyond Dartford and the establishment of the North West Kent Racial Equality Council in 1999, further amplifying his lifelong commitment to justice and fairness. An organisation he continued to lead until his retirement in 2010.

    In the period prior to the publication of the Macpherson Report in 1999, work around equality and diversity was incredibly rare with limited funding and overall lack of visibility in the charity sector. In this respect, Dev was a trailblazer, championing partnership working between the public sector and the community sector and seeking opportunities to bring communities together to celebrate what unites rather than divides. Dev established long term partnerships with Dartford Borough Council, Kent County Council, Gravesham Borough Council and Kent Police which still remain strong today.

    In 2006, Dev’s extraordinary contributions to the community were recognized when he was awarded an MBE by Her Majesty the Queen. Even after retiring in 2010, his legacy continued to inspire those dedicated to promoting equality and understanding.

    Dev’s service extended beyond racial equality. As an active member of Lions Club International, he demonstrated an unwavering dedication to humanitarian causes, embodying the spirit of selfless service and leadership.

    Following his retirement in 2010 he was elected Chair of the newly formed Kent Equality Cohesion Council, a role he performed with great distinction against the backdrop of raising community tensions and challenging economic outlook.

    Gurvinder Sandher MBE DL “I am deeply saddened by the passing of not just a colleague and mentor, but also my dear friend. I had the great pleasure of working closely with Dev since 1999 and learnt so much from him over the years. He was an inspirational leader and someone who was always willing to help others. I am incredibly grateful that, even after his retirement, Dev remained on hand to guide me through countless challenges and was with me during all the successes. Dev Sharma MBE leaves behind a profound legacy of compassion, advocacy and service. He will be deeply missed, but his contributions will continue to shape the communities he so passionately served in North Kent and the Kent Equality Cohesion Council that he led for so many years. I will miss his guidance and friendship.”

  • Dartford Festival of Light 2016

    Dartford Festival of Light 2016

    The 8th Dartford Festival of Light will take place on Friday October 21 between 6pm and 7.30pm. Organised by Cohesion Plus in partnership with Kent Equality Cohesion Council with the support of Dartford Borough Council and Arts Council England, the aim of the Festival is to bring the communities of Dartford together through the arts and promote key values of respect, excellence, friendship and equality.

    Artistic partners Same Sky Arts have been delivering creative workshops in 12 local schools with some 650 young people benefiting.

    The Festival this year is the most ambitious to date and is split into 3 distinct parts. Between 6pm and 6.30pm there will be entertainment on One Bell Corner as Phase 5 Steel Band where will be performing as will the Crocodile Brass on the High Street. Bloco Fogo will welcome train commuters at the station with their high energy Samba drumming performance.

    12 local schools will then take part in a lantern parade starting around 6.30pm The parade also involving musicians will be led by the Mayor of Dartford John Burrell, Chair of Kent ECC Dev Sharma MBE and the Leader of Dartford Borough Council Jeremy Kite MBE and will start on One Bell Corner in the High Street. It will then go via Hythe Street, the Orchard Shopping Centre and Market Street to Central Park where it will climax by the Band Stand.

    Once the Festival reaches Central Park after a series of short performances and presentations to the schools, there will be a spectacular fireworks and lights display to climax the celebrations delivered by the awards winning Phoenix Fireworks.

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  • Waving the Flag for Saint George

    Waving the Flag for Saint George

    Friday April 22 and Saturday April 23rd saw the communities of Dartford come out in force to celebrate Saint George’s Day. The festivities which were organised by Cohesion Plus, Dartford Borough Council and Kent Equality Cohesion Council were some of the biggest in England.

    The annual Saint George’s Day parade took place on the Friday and featured 500 children from 8 local schools. The parade was led North Kent resident Russel Palmer who was dressed up as Saint George and started outside the Civic Centre in Home Gardens before going over the footbridge, through Orchards Shopping Centre, into the High Street and then finishing at Central Park. The Mayor of Dartford Cllr Armitt also took part in the parade along with the Leader of Dartford Borough Council Cllr Kite, Dev Sharma the Chair of the Kent Equality Cohesion Council and Gareth Johnson MP.

    The parade was greatly support by members of the local community, many of whom waved the flag of Saint George proudly. Entertainment in the parade included the Premier Brass Band, Bollywood Brass Band, Stilt Walkers, Four by Four Dhol Drummers, West Hill Morris and comedy duo Payne and Pearce.

    Once the parade reached Band Stand in Central Park the children sang happy birthday to HM The Queen before seeing entertainment from some of the different groups involved. The event concluded with the National Anthem and the waving of Saint George’s flags.

    On Saturday there were performances by the Premier Brass Band around the town centre and opportunities to take photos with Saint George as well as flags and badges being given out by Dartford Borough Council.

    Dev Sharma MBE, the Chair of the Kent Equality Cohesion Council which is organising the celebrations commented, “We are really pleased with the positive response we received to the Saint George’s Day celebrations. Months of time and planning go into events like this but all the hard work is worth it when the local communities come out and support it like they did this year. I am also grateful to the support provided by our partners Cohesion Plus and Dartford Borough Council and we look forward to doing something even bigger next year.”

    John Varah Artistic Director of Same Sky Arts who worked with the local schools commented “We always look forward to working in Dartford as the schools are such a joy to work with. I believe this year’s Saint George’s Day celebrations are some of the best yet that we have been involved with.”

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