This year Black History month is being celebrated through a wide range of tutor time activities. Not only have we had our Equality and Diversity Ambassadors write and produce an assembly, but also developed tutor time activities and a competition to link these together.

Our theme this year has linked to the overall Black History Month theme of Health and Wellbeing. Our Ambassadors researched and presented the important role of black nurses in protecting the health of British people from the 1800s to present. The example of Mary Seacole, a Jamaican doctress was used to show how black women have cared for the sick from our country despite experiencing racial discrimination. This was still the case with the black women of the Windrush generation, many arriving to be nurses for the NHS, which relied on them to survive.

We are also celebrating personal success stories, in assembly on Friday Ife Thomas, a motivational speaker and local celebrity delivered a talk on her story as a Nigerian child growing up with a white family. She spoke about her rise to fame as a dancer and performer, and how she is now a successful businesswoman. Her story links back to our them of Health and Wellbeing as she is now also going into schools and giving motivational speeches and workshops. We have also heard the inspirational success stories of Montell Neufville who works with the police to tackle race and racism, and sergeant Sandra Smith, a local Black policewoman who has been involved in working with a group women from ethnic minorities who are promoting equality and diversity in the police force.

Equality and Diversity Ambassadors: if your child would like to join the Equality and Diversity Ambassadors to promote education and celebration of black people, as well as those from other ethnic groups, all year round? Please contact jhaynes@bestacademies.org.uk