Kent Equality Cohesion Council

Tag: Michelle Bramble

  • Inter Faith Celebrations Remember Community Champion

    Inter Faith Celebrations Remember Community Champion

    Kent Equality Cohesion Council organised an Inter Faith community event on Thursday 17th November 2022 which saw local partners, faith leaders and community members attend. The event took place at the Kent Adult Education Centre in Gravesham and marked National Inter Faith Week.

    The event was also an opportunity to commemorate the life of Mr Mohammed Aslam, one of the founders of the Gravesend and Dartford Muslim Association, a local community champion and avid interfaith supporter who passed away in June this year.

    Mr Aslam was a key figure in fostering long standing and fruitful partnerships with Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara and multiple local Churches, working to promote interfaith connections. As such, KECC, supported by Mr Aslam’s family felt that Interfaith Week served as the ideal time to reflect and commemorate the life of an individual of saw faith as a means of connecting people rather than separating them.

    Dignitaries and faith leaders alike spoke at the event around themes of unity and solidarity, celebrating Mr Aslam and Inter Faith Work in Gravesham. These included Deputy Lieutenant of Kent Dr Bagawara Vasudaven, Mayor of Gravesham Cllr Peter Scollard, Adam Holloway MP, Bishop Greg Kitsell Chair of the North Kent Interfaith Network, Reverend Michael Payne from St Aidan’s Church, Bilal Farooq Chair of the Gravesham and Dartford Muslim Association, Bal Cheema and Jagdev Virdee MBE from the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara.

    Community partners who also spoke at the event included former Headteacher Rosemary Dymond DL, Michelle Bramble Chair of the North Kent Caribbean Network, Farook Girach long-time friend of Mr Aslam as well as Carol Gosal of Rethink Mental Health. They were joined by former Kent Police District Commander for Gravesend and Dartford Phillip Painter and Akeel Kedoo former treasurer of the Gravesend and Dartford Muslim Association.

    At the end of the proceedings, Mr Aslam’s son Cllr Ejaz Aslam spoke to everyone gathered and expressed his deep thanks for commemorating his father in such a way, a way that reflects the diverse communities of the area and the message of interfaith that his father always promoted.

    Gurvinder Sandher MBE DL the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council who hosted the event commented, “I believe that National Interfaith Week was the perfect setting to not only remember a local pillar of the community but also talk about religious tolerance and everything that brings us together through faith. Mr Aslam for one, was an individual who stood for everyone, he championed their right practice their faith freely and see the tenants in each religion that brought us together. He supported the local Gurdwara and Churches and fundraised for various relief campaigns and causes regardless of faith. He was truly selfless and generous and I am proud that we were able to honour him in such a manner.”

  • Black History Month celebrations in Gravesham

    Black History Month celebrations in Gravesham

    Residents of North Kent attended annual Black History Month celebrations in Gravesham which boasted a spectacular programme of performances, films, speeches and presentations on Thursday 20th October. Organised by Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership with North Kent Caribbean Network and Cohesion Plus, the event was attended by local residents, community groups and civic guests and was funded by Involve Kent and Arts Council England.

    Civic guests included Deputy Lieutenant Dr Bhargawa Vasudaven, Mayor of Gravesham Cllr Peter Scollard, KCC Chair Cllr Lesley Game and Chief Constable Tim Smith all of whom spoke about the significant contributions Black communities had made to the UK past and present.

    There were musical performances from young local talent Kofi as well as films showcased by GTown Talent and NHS Diversity and Inclusion lead Helanna Irvine which focused on domestic abuse and the Windrush Generation’s impact on the NHS post World War II.

    As part of the event, special community awards were awarded to local community heroes, organisations and residents Genny Jones, GTown Talents, Mina Smith, Medway Culture Club and Dr Vasudaven DL. Each award winner was recognised for the positive contribution and impact that they made through their community initiatives, artistic offerings, service to the community and volunteering.

    Gurvinder Sandher MBE, CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council of the event commented, “We are so proud of the celebrations we delivered this month working in partnership with North Kent Caribbean Network. We aim to get bigger and better year upon year and especially with the 75th anniversary of Windrush taking place next year our ambitions are high. We look forward to working again with valued partners NKCN to deliver future events that promote and champion coming together to celebrate shared values and experiences.”

    Michelle Bramble, Chair of the North Kent Caribbean commented, “It’s such a pleasure to deliver this event working with KECC, in order to celebrate all the wonderful work and contributions made by members of the diverse community past and present. Events like these serve to remind us that there is more that unites us than divides us and that there is a whole history of events and people that have shaped who we are today. Those events and people unfortunately have been overlooked and forgotten in the past, however these celebrations serve as a valuable reminder to acknowledge our shared heritage.”

  • Listen Up Conference sparks important discussions

    Listen Up Conference sparks important discussions

    The communities of North Kent came out to attend a public conference around health and being called Listen Up on Thursday 10th March. Held at the Woodville in Gravesham and organised by the Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership with Rethink Sahayak, North Kent Caribbean Network and EK360, the aim of the conference was to raise awareness of issues such as suicide, substance abuse and mental health which have been impacting communities since the onset of the pandemic.

    Approximately 250 people attended the conference and heard presentations from speakers including Mandeep Manocha from Alcohol Free Sikhs, Sandeep Saib who spoke her lived experiences with body dysmorphia and attempted suicide and Tim Woodhouse from Kent County Council who covered a number of the services provided to tackle the issues discussed during the conference.

    Also speaking at the conference were Deputy Lord Lieutenant Dr Bhargawa Vasudaven, Acting Head of Community Services South, Carol Gosal, and Chair of the North Kent Caribbean Network, Michelle Bramble. They gave a community perspective on the issues discussed during the conference and some of the support available locally.

    The conference was concluded by Gurjit Singh Shokar’s emotional and hard hitting experience around the loss of his brother Amarjit Singh Shokar to suicide recently. Gurjit has been advocating for more work to be done to raise awareness of suicide prevention especially within ethnic minority communities as there is still a taboo around mental health.

    Furthermore, in recognition of the tragic events unfolding in Ukraine, fundraising was conducted during the conference and £950 was collected. The funds will be donated towards the Ukrainian relief efforts via the Disaster Emergency Committee.

    Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of the Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented “Since the onset of the pandemic, we have seen issues such as suicide and mental health reach new devastating levels. As such, we felt it necessary to hold this conference and reach as many people as we could from the local communities, to raise awareness as well as highlight the services and aid available. Our hope is that through the conference, if even one life can be saved, or someone suffering from mental health can find access to care, then we have done our job right. I am also grateful to everyone who donated to the Ukraine appeal on the night.”

    Carol Gosal, Acting Head of Community Services South commented, “We are really pleased to have been able to deliver this event and reach so many people. The topics discussed today are hard hitting and not easy to listen to but we have to make ourselves uncomfortable for the severity of the matter to really sink in. It’s vital that we talk about suicide and mental health and raise awareness. Special thanks go to our speakers who all made such important contributions.”

    Michelle Bramble, Chair of the North Kent Caribbean Network said, “We wholly believe that we need events like these to raise awareness and shine a light on subjects like suicide and mental health, subjects that aren’t necessarily talked about until it’s happening to you or someone you know. The aim of this event was to show people that it’s never too late to access help and support no matter where you are from. I am so happy so many people came out to support and it was particularly heartening to see members of the community reach out to speakers and thank them for sharing their stories. It’s indicative of the fact that on some level, the penny has dropped and people are listening and taking this seriously.”

  • Communities Come Together For Black History Month

    Communities Come Together For Black History Month

    Wednesday 20th October saw the diverse communities of North Kent come out to celebrate Black History Month by attending a free screening of community led and made films at the Woodville Hall Theatre in Gravesham. Kent Equality Cohesion Council working in partnership with Cohesion Plus, North Kent Caribbean and People Dem Collective delivered the in person Black History Month event since 2019.

    Supported by Kent County Council and Gravesham Borough Council, the event saw dignitaries and community members alike come together to view films around the themes of race, diversity and identity.

    Chief Constable of Kent Police Alan Pughsley QPM delivered the keynote speech of the evening and spoke at length about the extensive work that Kent Police were doing around Equality, Diversity and Inclusion within the force as well the continued work around the recruitment scheme. He also spoke about the steps that the force were taking to instil confidence around the issue of violence against women and girls.

    The Chief went on to address the audience of over 150 attendees about his commitment to the diverse communities of Kent. He stated that he hoped the gesture he made when he took the knee during a peaceful memorial to mark the death of George Floyd at the hands of American police in 2019, showed his solidarity and commitment to equality within policing. Mr Pughsley was then presented with an award for outstanding support and service to diverse communities in Kent by event organisers Gurvinder Sandher, CEO of KECC and Michelle Bramble, Chair of the North Kent Caribbean Network.

    Local residents were also recognised for their outstanding work in their respective communities as they received awards presented by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant Bhargawa Vasudaven and Mayor of Gravesham Cllr Lyn Milner.

    The event was part of a series of taking place across Kent as part of Black History Month. Further activity will also be taking place in Margate and Canterbury over the coming week culminating in a screening of cult classic ‘Babylon’ at the Gulbenkian on Friday 29th October with a coach making its way from Gravesend.

    Gurvinder Sandher, CEO of KECC commented, “It was an absolute pleasure to be able to deliver the first in person Black History Month celebrations here in North Kent for the first time since 2019. It is important that we use events like Black History Month to understand our shared history and heritage. It is vital to stress that Black History isn’t confined to just one month rather it is a yearlong recognition that Black history is in fact British history. We are incredibly grateful to our valued partner the North Kent Caribbean Network and I am immensely proud of what we have been able achieve during this time.”

  • Windrush Community Celebrations

    Windrush Community Celebrations

    A socially distanced, community led Windrush Celebration took place in Gravesend on Wednesday 23rd June. The event was a community initiative arranged by Kent Equality Cohesion Council, the North Kent Caribbean Network and the Cohesion Plus.

    The celebrations took place at the Old Gravesendians and was attended by elders from the Windrush generation as well as civic guests including Deputy Lord Lieutenant Dr Bhagwara Vasudaven, Kent County Council Chair Cllr Ann Allen as well as the Mayor of Gravesham Cllr Lyn Milner.

    Windrush elders heard speeches by Gurvinder Sandher of Cohesion Plus and Michelle Bramble, Chair of the North Kent Caribbean Network as well as the civic guests in attendance who all congratulated the Windrush generation and following generations on the countless positive contributions they have made to the UK.

    Gurvinder Sandher, Artistic Director of Cohesion Plus commented, “We were incredibly proud to have delivered our first in person community celebrations this year. Given the year we have all had, and that the country will look to be fully vaccinated soon, we felt it was necessary to return to some semblance of normality and host an event in person. The fact that we were able to begin with Windrush Celebrations felt poignant as it’s a chance to celebrate diversity and community cohesion as well champion key members of the community. Sadly, over time we seem to have forgotten that the Windrush generation were actually invited to the UK to help rebuild the ‘motherland’ so it’s imperative that we remember the countless sacrifices and hardships they have had to endure over many years and celebrate their positive contributions.”

  • Windrush Community Celebrations takes place online for the first time

    Windrush Community Celebrations takes place online for the first time

    Windrush Community Celebrations takes place online for the first time

    Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership with Cohesion Plus and the North Kent Caribbean Network for the first time ever organised a special online event in celebration of the Windrush generation. Poignantly the event took place on Windrush Day and had over 100 local community members in attendance. Civic guests also attended including Deputy Lord Lieutenant Dr Bhagwara Vasudaven, KCC Leader, Mr Roger Gough, KCC Chairman Cllr Graham Gibbens, Mayor of Gravesham Cllr John Caller and Inspector Craig West from Kent Police.

    The event organisers Gurvinder Sandher CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council and the Chair of the North Kent Caribbean Network, Michelle Bramble felt this year’s celebrations were more important than ever in the midst of the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests as well as the devastating impact Covid -19 has had on communities from a BAME background.

    Gurvinder Sandher, CEO of KECC commented, “We were incredibly humbled and proud to be able to host the first ever online Windrush celebrations in recognition of the enormously positive contributions made by the Windrush generation and their decedents in the UK. Despite not being able to celebrate in person, we were no less enthused to celebrate with local members of the community and civic guests online. To say we are living in tumultuous times would be something of a painful understatement however, we wanted to champion the Windrush generations and celebrate their achievements especially when history has tended to overlook this. As such, we felt it imperative to take this valuable opportunity to celebrate in the midst of the impact of Covid – 19 which has hit BAME communities disproportionately higher. With the ongoing protests around Black Lives Matter and the widely reported recognition of systemic racism still prevalent in 2020 we will continue to celebrate and champion diversity until true equality is achieved.”

  • Diverse communities celebrate Commonwealth Day in Gravesham

    Diverse communities celebrate Commonwealth Day in Gravesham

    Diverse communities celebrate Commonwealth Day in Gravesham

    A special community event took place in Gravesham at Saint Andrew’s Arts Centre on Tuesday 10th March to celebrate the Commonwealth and the positive contribution made in the borough by local residents with links to Commonwealth countries. This event was part of Commonwealth Day celebrations which took place around the globe.

    The event was organised by the Kent Equality Cohesion Council in partnership with Cohesion Plus and the North Kent Caribbean Network. The evening saw performances from Phase 5 Steel Band and the GTown Collective, a group of young grime rappers from the borough. Speakers included Gurvinder Sandher from the Kent Equality Cohesion Council who spoke about the key role that the Commonwealth has played in British history including the positive contribution made by soldiers during the two World Wars. Michelle Bramble, the Chair of the North Kent Caribbean Network spoke about the Windrush generation and how their contribution towards the rebuilding of the UK after the Second World War should never be forgotten.

    Furthermore, a special award of recognition was presented to Alberta Theresa Jaggon, the widow of Cllr Joseph Jaggon a former Mayor of Gravesham. The award recognised both Mr and Mrs Jaggon’s contributions to the promotion of positive community relations in the borough over the many years.

    Guests included the Mayor of Gravesham Cllr Gurdip Bungar, Deputy Lord Lieutenant Dr Bhargwara Vasudaven, Chairman of the Kent County Council Cllr Ann Allen, Cllr John Burden Leader of Gravesham Borough Council, Inspector Craig West from Kent Police and Manpreet Dhaliwal the President of Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara.

    Gurvinder Sandher the CEO of Kent Equality Cohesion Council commented, “In today’s social climate I believe it is vital to take a moment to reflect on and celebrate the vast diversity of Gravesham as well as listen to the many stories of those individuals who made their way to the UK from Commonwealth countries like Jamaica and India in the 1940’s. Those stories tell of great challenges and struggles and serve as a valuable foundation to the positive community relations we enjoy today.”

    Michelle Bramble, Chair of the North Kent Caribbean Network commented, “I am incredibly grateful to everyone who attended this event, especially the communities that hail from the many Commonwealth countries. Events like this are important, where different generations come together to remember and celebrate our shared histories.”