 Christian Frederick, Equality and Diversity Project Officer, has written a powerful staff blog highlighting why it’s important to celebrate Black History Month (BHM), and how there is still a lot of changes to be made.
The Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Network, and partners, have organised an exciting programme of talks and activities to recognise the achievements of African and Caribbean people and how they’ve helped to shape British culture, history, and economic development.
Join today’s event (Thursday 6 October) from 12pm to 1pm to hear from Kingsley Nagudia, who grew up in England and returned to Africa 20 years later following the loss of his father. Add to your calendar
The covid pandemic has highlighted how adversely black people were affected by the virus. Join us on Wednesday 12 October from 11am to 12pm to hear from Public Health Registrar, Philip Williams, deliver a presentation on health disparities within black communities and the special interventions and services provided by his team in Redbridge. Add to your calendar
On Thursday 13 October, Randal Smith will be talking to Damian Atkinson and Neeta Kanagaratnam who will share their personal experiences on parenting mixed heritage children. Grab your lunch and listen in from 12pm to 1pm. Add to your calendar
Details of all our BHM events can be found on the intranet and events calendar.
The clocks go back on Sunday 30 October meaning the days will get darker sooner.
The Redbridge Staff Women’s Network have launched their pilot Women's Safety Walking Bus, following feedback at the women’s safety discussion events following the tragic murder of Zara Aleena.
Members of the Women’s Network shared why this is a much needed step forward in their staff blog. If you feel uncomfortable walking to and from the office, whether it’s from the car park or station, please indicate your movements on the spreadsheet to see if a buddy can join you. This is open to all staff, not just women.
We will be trialling this approach over the next three months to determine how well it works in the three biggest Redbridge Council offices, Ilford, Barkingside, and Seven Kings. Many colleagues expressed concern about walking from the office to the car park/train station in the dark. The more colleagues who use the ‘walking bus ‘system, the more effective the initiative becomes.
We urge you to circulate this link with your teams and interested colleagues of all genders to increase the chances of staff finding suitable buddies on the days they spend in the office.
Please get in touch with the Network Co-chairs, Shona Galt or Denise Jackson with any queries or feedback.
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Please check your Outlook setting is set to receive email ‘read receipt’ requests. It takes 30 seconds to check and change your settings. Please follow these simple steps:
- Go to File - Options - Mail
- Scroll down to the Tracking section
- Beneath ‘For any message received that includes a read receipt request’, please select one of the following settings:
- Always send a read receipt
- Ask each time whether to send a read receipt
Job done! Told you it was easy.
An email read receipt request will be included each time our Chief Executive, Claire, sends an all-staff email. We are asking everyone to check their settings and say ‘YES’ to Claire’s email read receipt request so that we can find out if this is the best way to deliver important messages.
Knowing how many people have read an all-staff email will help to increase the efficiency of this type of communications and plan our next step in communicating with all staff. If emails aren’t the way forward, we want to know.
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If you’ve not attended a One Brilliant You session yet, make sure you join one of the final sessions taking place.
For managers:
Friday 7 October, 1 to 2pm – Add to your calendar
Friday 14 October, 10.30am to 11.30am – Add to your calendar
For staff:
Tuesday 11 October, 11.30am to 12.30pm – Add to your calendar
For front-line staff:
Thursday 13 October, 2pm to 3pm – this is an in-person session held at the Ley Street Depot, Main Building, Meeting room one. Managers of front-line teams are asked to let their staff know about this event and support participation if possible. Add to your calendar
The staff-focused scheme incorporates feedback we received from staff and managers during forums, focus groups and, most recently, the Annual Staff Survey. You asked for regular developmental feedback, the opportunity to grow and progress, and greater clarity around expectations.
Find out more about One Brilliant You on the intranet and events calendar.
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World Mental Health Day falls on Monday 10 October, and this year’s theme is ‘Make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority’.
It aims to raise awareness of mental health issues, reduce factors that can affect people’s mental health and provide support. It also provides an opportunity to talk about what needs to be done to make mental health care a priority and reiterate how it is to talk about things.
Living Library event
Join our Living Library event where our National Management Trainee, Sophie Wroblewski, will bravely share how she coped with the loss of a loved one to suicide, and talks about her struggles with mental health. This event will take place on Monday 10 October from 12 to 1pm. Add to your calendar or join via Teams.
Our Living Library books events aim is to create a safe space where topics are discussed openly between our ‘human books’ and their ‘readers’ (the audience).
If you would like to be a ‘human book’ and share your story, please contact Sophie Wroblewski.
Vision Redbridge Culture & Leisure event
We've partnered with Vision Redbridge Culture & Leisure (Vision RCL) to deliver a free online guided Meditation session from 2pm to 3pm. This forms part of Vision's new project ‘Active Body, Healthy Mind’.
Meditation can produce a deep state of relaxation and a tranquil mind. During meditation, you can expect light stretching and guidance to focus your attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. This process may result in enhanced physical and emotional well-being.
Booking is required for this event. Secure your place through the Vision RCL website. When booking is complete, you will be sent a meeting link to your email address.
For more information on World Mental Health Day, please visit the Mental Health Foundation and World Health Organisation websites.
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Our Chief Executive, Claire, has returned from annual leave which means a new instalment of her weekly video blog (vlog).
Catch up now to find out what events the BAME network have organised for Black History Month, and information on the launch of the Women’s Safety Walking Bus.
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Join local people and organisations to drive positive change in the Gants Hill area at a series of themed workshops hosted by the Community Hubs Team.
Whilst you tuck into hot food and refreshments, we will be sharing insights from the Gants Hill Community Research Project, hearing from staff and residents, and looking at what we can do to make Gants Hill an area where people know their neighbours, celebrate diversity and feel safe in their neighbourhood.
The next available workshop, Cleaning up our streets will take place from 5pm to 8pm, next Thursday, 13 October, at the Redbridge Institute..
Book your free tickets via Eventbrite.
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October is also Menopause Awareness Month which raises awareness of the stage in a person’s life when they stop menstruating. It helps people understand the possible health issues associated when approaching, during, and after the menopause.
The Redbridge Staff Women’s Network have worked with HR, Payroll & Pensions to produce a Menopause guidance which can be found on our dedicated intranet page.
Join our in-person information and guest speaker event
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Menopause Society (IMS) also designated October 18 as World Menopause Day. This year’s theme is ‘Cognition and Mood’.
Come along to the Women’s Network’s in-person speaker and information event on Tuesday 18 October from 12pm to 2pm in the First Floor Business Lounge in Lynton House. More information can be found on the intranet.
Keep an eye out for the Menopause Policy which will be launched on World Menopause Day.
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Say goodbye to standing outside in the freezing cold or rain for a nicotine fix. Join hundreds of others across the country who want to become healthier physically and mentally by becoming smoke-free.
With the rising cost-of-living, one of the quickest ways to save money is to quit smoking. The average smoker could save over £4000 a year on cigarettes! What other ways could you spend £4000?
Studies show you are more likely to succeed with support, and Everyone Health Redbridge, provides free support from qualified experienced practitioners who will offer advice, guidance and encouragement, along with Nicotine Replacement Therapy. Call today on 0333 005 0095 or text QUIT to 60777 and go smoke-free this October.
Join the Stoptober Challenge and make a change.
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In this interesting talk, social psychologist, Dolly Chugh, explains that “our attachment to being good people is getting in the way of us being better people”.
Do you acknowledge and learn from mistakes, or you do become defensive and try to prove you are a good person?
“We’re working so hard to protect that ‘good person’ identity…that we’re not giving ourselves space to learn from our mistakes and actually be better people.”
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