South West Race Equality Action Group (SWREAG)

Over the last five years, the region and the country more broadly has faced the significant challenges of austerity, Brexit, the climate emergency, and the Coronavirus pandemic. The killing of George Floyd and the increased awareness of the Black Lives Matter Movement sent shockwaves through the global community. This, alongside many other significant challenges in the region over the past few years, has highlighted the systemic inequality faced by racialised communities in the South West, and beyond. It is in this context that visible and responsible leadership matters, more specifically collective leadership.

On the 4th March 2021, Black South West Network (BSWN) hosted a roundtable with key organisations working with and for racialised communities, aiming to discuss the key challenges and top priorities for tackling race equality in the South West. The event was attended by 22 representatives of various organisations from fields as diverse as health, academia, housing, and sport. Following the convening of the first regional race equality roundtable, the work to develop regional recommendations commenced which includes a vision for change. 

Chaired by BSWN, the purpose of the South West Race Equality Action Group (SWREAG) is to address racial justice through a strategic/collaborative approach driven by data with a focus on scrutiny and accountability of public sector bodies, community building and infrastructure, and strengthening of the sector by leveraging resources to deliver impact on the ground. The group will support the racial justice sector in the South West region to sustainably improve access to funding, support grassroots organisations in the region, and actively scrutinise the key areas of employment and business; health, social care and housing; heritage, culture and arts, education, and criminal justice. 

SWREAG will support the Black, Asian and Minoritised-led sector to address racial justice and to ensure sustainability through improved access to funding. It will drive a plan of action to increase scrutiny and accountability in the sector. Key strategic objectives include:

  • Influencing public policy on race to achieve better outcomes for Black & Minoritised communities in education, housing, the labour market & enterprise and criminal justice

  • Working collaboratively to strengthen our voice in the region

  • Networking across the region to enhance knowledge sharing and building solidarity

From our discussions, it is clear that there is an overwhelming call for action, but more specifically of collaborative action to realise the benefits of coming together and increasing our impact. For example, as a group, SWREAG have submitted evidence to the Public Bill Committee for the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill which outlined our position and can be viewed HERE.

 SWREAG Members

Albert Gardiner, All Nations Community Centre, Gloucester

Alexandra MacRae, Black South West Network

Abdullahi Farah, Bristol Somali Resource Centre

Alex Raikes, SARI

Andy Merryfield, RAISE

Angelique Retief, Black South West Network

Anndeloris Chacon, Bristol Black Carers

David Crossman, Voluntary Action North Somerset

David Feindouno, Plymouth Hope

Dinah Cox, Devon Community Foundation

Dion Bunting, RAISE

Elaine Pearson Scott, Gloucestershire Nightstop

Eiling Wong, Devon & Cornwall Chinese Association

Faith Stafford, Exeter Communities Together

Fatima Manjra, Thirty Percy

Florence Nyasamo-Thomas, Lives of Colour

Ismail Kholwadia, Friendship Café, Gloucester

Jendayi Serwah, Chair

Jolyon Rose, Equalities Coalition Forum (Swindon)

Julie Paget, Plymouth Race Equality Council

Kathy Boston-Mammah, BCP Council

Kate Hannan, Inclusive Opportunities Exeter CiC

Lianne Williams, Lives of Colour

Marcus Alleyne - Black Voices Cornwall, Co-chair

Nan Bains, Equalities Advisory Forum

Nathalie Sherring - Dorset Race Equality Council

Nicola Wood, Equalities Advisory Forum

Rosa Hui - Avon Chinese Women’s Group

Rupert Walters, Gloucester CRE

Sado Jirde, Black South West Network

Saffron Karlsen, Research Action Coalition for Race Equality

Shiv Sama, SREN

Sonia Carr, Wiltshire Race Equalities Council

Verona Vidal, All Nations Community Centre

Wendy Sims-Schouten, Wiltshire Racial Equalities Council

Task Groups

Funding & Sustainability

Members include: Ismael Kholwadia, Dinah Cox, Juliet Paget, David Feindouno, Marcus Alleyne

 

Criminal Justice System

Members include: Alexandra MacRae, Fatima Manjra, Nathalie Sherring, Alex Raikes, Sonia Carr, Marcus Alleyne

 

Data

Members include: Saffron Karlsen, Ana Lodge, Elaine Pearson, Angelique Retief, Marcus Alleyne

 

Community Building

Members include: David Crossman, Shiv Sama, Kate Hannan, Jolyon Rose, Ana Lodge, Verona Vidal, Eiling Wong, Dion Bunting, Kathy Boston-Mammah

 

Education

Members include: Sonia Carr, Fatima Manjra, Albert Gardiner, Abdullahi Farah, Florence Nyasamo-Thomas, Dion Bunting, Alex Raikes, Lianne Williams, David Feindouno, Marcus Alleyne

Get in contact with us

To get in touch with our team or to contribute to SWREAG by emailing our Policy & Research Officer Angelique Retief.