Univesity of Chester
Diversity Festival 2015
2nd – 13th March 2015
“Equality Through The Ages”
Across Various University of Chester Campuses and Locations
Date / Time / Room / Event details / To book
Saturday 28th February / 7.30pm / Chester Cathedral / The Cathedrals’ Group Choirs’ Festival
Falling just before the festival but definitely worth including in the programme! The choirs will be singing Haydn’s ‘Maria Theresa Mass’ and Zadok the Priest, as well as individual choral pieces. / Tickets available from Chester Cathedral Box Office (01244) 500959
Monday 2nd March / 11:30am – 1.00pm / Riverside CRV139 / Launch event:The Changing Face of British Equality with Oona King, Baroness of Bow
Oona King is a member of the House of Lords, Diversity Executive at Channel 4 and was previously Senior Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister on Equalities and Diversity at 10 Downing Street. She is also a broadcaster, writer and political campaigner and was the elected MP for Bethnal Green & Bow from 1997-2005 and became Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Minister for e-Commerce, and then PPS to the Secretary of State for Trade & Industry.
At our 10th Annual Diversity Festival, taking place during the University of Chester’s 175th Year Anniversary, Baroness King will talk about her equality work and how matters of equality have really changed in Britain during her time working in this field. /
Tuesday 3rdMarch / 9.30am-11.30am / Senate House CSH103 / Return to Work Focus Group
Have you recently returned to work after a period of maternity, paternity or adoption leave? Did you receive the support you needed on your return, either from your department or from the University in general? Did you get great support that you can share with us?
The University has recently been awarded the Equality Challenge Unit’s Gender Equality Mark and a comprehensive action pan has been developed as a result. One of the actions in the plan is to develop a detailed and consistent package of support for those returning from period of family leave. Come and share your experiences to help formulate what this package of support will look like. /
Tuesday 3rdMarch / 12noon – 2.00pm / Binks Foyer / Disabled Staff Group
Members of the University’s very active Disabled Staff Group will be available in Binks Foyer to promote the work of the group and provide guidance to staff on disability matters. / No need to book, just turn up!
Tuesday 3rd March / 2.30pm – 4.00pm / Westminster CWE018 / CBBC Documentary Screening: My Life: My Name is Leo along with Director/Producer Phil Niland, Nine Lives Media
'I just want people to finally see me the way I see myself,' pleads irresistibly honest Leo, the transgender 13-year-old whose story you can see at this screening of the CBBC documentary. Born Lily, Leo has lived as a boy since he was five and officially changed his name at the age of 11. In moving video diary sequences, the charismatic teen talks about his supportive family but also the bullying he's encountered, particularly at primary school, from people who could not accept his decision to live as a boy. We are honoured to have Director/Producer Phil Niland from Nine Lives Media available to answer questions after the screening. /
Tuesday 3rd March / 7.30pm / Student Union Comedy Room / Cabaret with Abnormally Funny People
Abnormally Funny People is a group of gifted stand-up comedians strutting their funny stuff. All but one of them is disabled. They are all very, very, very funny people. With famous names and faces you WILL recognise this is an evening of fun not to be missed. With all proceeds for this going to charity, get your tickets NOW! (A donation of £3 on the door is encouraged) /
Wednesday 4th March / 9.30am – 4.00pm / Kingsway CKW007 / National Association of Disabled Staff Networks Conference
This event is open to anyone who is a member of a Disabled Staff Network in Higher or Further Education and to staff working in HE or FE with an interest in disability matters.
The event will comprise keynotes addresses from Dr Luke Beardon, Sheffield Hallam University who will discuss ‘Exploding the Myths and Presenting a Positive Perspective of Autism’;Dr Nicola Martin of London South Bank University who will disseminate her research findings on Disabled People in Higher Education Leadership and Dr Karisa Krcmar and Tina Horsman from Loughborough University who will speak about the mindfulness programme they developed to support students with SpLD and how the learning from this study can easily be applied to staff and Chris Brill, ECU, who will deliver a consultative session on how the barriers to employing disabled people can be removed. /
More information is available here
Wednesday 4thMarch / 2.00pm-3.00pm / Binks
CBK011 / Jess Thom: Touretteshero
Jess is co-founder of Touretteshero and may or may not lead a secret double life as a superhero. Artist, playworker, and expert fundraiser, Jess currently helps coordinate a large play project in South London. Jess has had tics since she was a child but wasn’t diagnosed with Tourette’s until she was in her twenties. With some encouragement from her friends, Jess decided to turn her tics into a source of imaginative creativity and the Touretteshero project was born. Jess will be talking about Tourette’s and will be happy to take any questions at the end of her presentation. /
Wednesday, 4thMarch / 2.00pm – 3.00pm / Cloisters 101 / 'Creative Writing as an Exploration of the Desire to Belong'.
A creative writing 'workshop', where Dr Ian Seed, Lecturer in Creative Writing Programme Leader, BA Creative Writing, English Department will coach participants into writing poetry/memoir/ fiction on the theme of the desire to belong. Open to anyone with an interest in creative writing. /
Wednesday, 4thMarch / 5.30pm / Chapel (Chester) / Fairtrade Fortnight Chapel service
Megan Raybould, Christian Aid Intern, will be coming to Chapel to talk about a Fairtrade-related theme / No need to book!
Thursday 5thMarch / 12.00noon – 1.00pm / CWE017 / Delivering impact in relation to HIV testing amongst gay men
Prof Paul Flowers (Glasgow Caledonian University is Professor of Sexual Health Psychology and will be presenting on his research on Gay Men's Sexual Health. /
Thursday 5thMarch / 10.00am – 3.00pm / Riverside
CRV322 / Violence against Women
The Violence Against Women group will host a seminar day with key speakers on violence against women, including a focus on LGBT relationships. This will also include sessions on Forced Marriages. A session not to be missed, this event is open to anyone who works, studies, or has an interest in this area. /
Friday 6th March / 9.30am – 2.30pm / Riverside
CRV139 / Inspirational Women’s Conference
A conference celebrating all that is truly inspirational! With a range of excellent speakers covering a range of exciting topics, this is an event open to all female staff, students and visitors who want to feel inspired, progress their careers and network with some fellow inspirational women. See here for more information. /
Friday 6th March / 12noon-1.00pm / Molloy
CML006 / Sylvia Lancaster OBE
Following the horrific murder of Sophie Lancaster, her family wanted to ensure a lasting legacy to their beautiful, bright creative daughter and so The Sophie Lancaster Foundation was established and it became a registered charity in 2009.
Her mother, Sylvia Lancaster OBE, joins us during Diversity Festival 2015. /
Saturday 7th March / 1.00pm – 5.00pm / Riverside
CRV119 / International Women’s Day – Women’s Aid event
Local charity Chester Women’s Aid is working in partnership with the University of Chester to bring national Stalking & Harassment expert Laura Richards to Chester.
Laura is a criminal behavioural analyst and CEO and founder of Paladin, the UK’s first National Stalking Advocacy Service. Paladin supports and advises high risk victims of stalking and was set up following the highly successful Stalking Law Reform Campaign. Laura also co-founded the first National Stalking Helpline in 2010 and launched and co-ordinated the UKs first National Stalking Awareness Week in 2011.
Laura previously worked in intelligence and serious crime for over a decade at New Scotland Yard and was responsible for setting up the first Homicide Prevention Unit in the UK, Laura was the head of the Violent Crime Intelligence and Analysis Unit in the Metropolitan Police Service
Laura is co-author of the ‘Policing Domestic Violence’ book, which is part of the Practical Policing Guide series published by Oxford University Press.
Laura was responsible for developing the Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour based Violence (DASH 2009) Risk Identification, Assessment and Management Model on behalf of ACPO and in partnership with CAADA. /
Although admission to this event is free a donation to Chester Women’s Aid on the door would be appreciated.
Monday 9thMarch / 12noon -2.00pm / Binks
CBK013/1/2 / LGBT and Multiple Identities
LGBT Youth North Westis a regional organisation that seeks to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans young people in the North West of England through services for young people, the coordination of a professional network for LGBT services youth workers and training and consultancy. This interactive workshop is open to anyone with an interest in this topic or who works, or aspires to work in the field of Youth Work. / To book please go to:
Monday 9th March / 2.00pm – 3.00pm / Molloy
CML104 / Cheshire Young Carers
Kieran Hatton MBA, Lead of the Education Support Programme of the Young Carers Network joins us to talk about the work of Cheshire Young Carers (CYC).
CYC has been providing high quality support for young carers since 1997. In the last five years CYC has supported over 550 young carers and families, developing a range of innovative services to better meet individual needs.
They consult with young carers and their families and listen to what they need, which makes them more focussed and specialist in the support they provide.
As a result of this, CYC’s track record for producing positive evidence based outcomes for young carers is excellent. / To book please go to:
Tuesday 10th March / 9.00am – 1.30pm / Riverside CRV119 / Making Professor
A half day conference on ‘how to make Professor’. This session is aimed at female academic staff wishing to progress in their academic career, regardless of the stage they are currently at.
This event will comprise keynote addresses from Professor Sarah Andrew, the University of Chester’s first female Professor, Professor Elizabeth Mason-Whitehead, Professor of Interprofessional Education and Professor Neville Ford. There will also be an interactive group work session encouraging participants to plan their career path with the support of peers at the workshop. More information is available here. /
Tuesday 10th March / 12.30pm-1.30pm / Molloy
CML104 / Cheshire Hunger: Understanding Emergency Food Provision in West Cheshire
One of the most visible symptoms of gross inequality in the UK, Foodbanks continue to hit the headlines. This short talk by Alec Spencer, Development Officer at West Cheshire Foodbank explores the findings of a new collaborative research project into emergency food provision in Chester, Ellesmere Port and Neston, focusing on the primary reasons catalysing the crises local people are facing.
This event will appeal to a broad audience including staff, students and visitors. It may be of particular interest to those reading subjects such as public health, sociology, criminology, politics, journalism, international development studies or human geography. Although this talk will focus on the research undertaken, there will be an opportunity to speak afterwards about ways to get involved with the work of West Cheshire Foodbank for those interested.
For more information please visit
Join the conversation about #cheshirehunger on Facebook & Twitter. /
Tuesday 10th March / 2.30pm-4.00pm / Riverside CRV150 / Lez be honest
This event is hosted by Jonathan Harper Students’ Union President, LGBT+ Society & Chester Pride. LGBT+ issues have changed significantly over the past decades; this session will outline how people now view the perception of LGBT+. Contents include networking and Q&A session on LGBT+ subjects including coming out stories from current students and public figures in the LGBT+ community, a showing of our own ‘It Gets Better’ video & much more! /
Tuesday 10th March / 7:30pm / The Nave, Chester Cathedral / Chester Theological Society (a partnership between the University of Chester and Chester Cathedral) present:
“For the Honour of God and for the Reform of our Realm”:
Magna Carta, Church and State, 1215-2015
The Revd Robin Griffiths - Master of Temple Church
King John sealed Magna Carta ‘from reverence for God and for the salvation of our soul and those of all our ancestors and heirs, for the honour of God and the exaltation of Holy Church and the reform of our realm’. His advisors included two archbishops, seven bishops and the Master of the Temple. The Charter challenges today’s faith communities to examine the part they might play in the development of a liberal democracy. The landscape has changed beyond recognition, from the universality of the ‘English Church’ in 1215 to the religious diversity and multi-culturalism of the 21st century; but ‘the honour of God and reform of the realm’ are still close to the heart of every religious community.
Robin Griffith-Jones has been ‘the Reverend and Valiant Master of the Temple’ at the Temple Church since 1999. The Temple was King John’s London headquarters and the setting for vital negotiations, 1214-5. He is also Senior Lecturer in Theology at King’s College London. Writings on the New Testament and early Christianity include The Four Witnesses (2000),The Gospel according to Paul (2004) and Mary Magdalene (2008). Fostering the Temple’s natural interest in law and religion resulted in Islam and English Law: Rights, Responsibilities and the Place of Sharia (editor & co-author, 2013) and Magna Carta, Religion and the Rule of Law (co-editor & co-author, 2014). / Admission at the door: £3.00 (Students: £1.00)
Wednesday 11thMarch / 11.30am – 12.30pm / Westminster CWE126/2 / Screening of short film about Adrian Derbyshire StopHateUK campaigner in the company of Adrian who will talk about his work.
On 20th August 2008, Adrian’s life struck disaster. After going to bed that night, he woke up to find himself in the middle of a hospital, surrounded by doctors and nurses days later. He was told he survived a serious brain haemorrhage due to a dermoid tumour which was in the core of his brain and was inoperable. Nine spinal taps later, doctors confirmed their worst fears which was that the brain haemorrhage had caused chemical meningitis which left Adrian with speech, balance, and stroke like is-sues, without any warning Adrian’s life had changed forever. He was unable to function as he used to, and his only way of getting around was in the confines of a wheelchair.
For most people this would have left them depressed, however Adrian has only been positive since the incident. By January of 2009, Adrian was home full time and wanting to rebuild his life. The first thing on his list was to learn to speak, read and write again, and then to feel physically better by getting his body working again by strength exercises. By June 2009 he was back in the gym and regaining his strength. One day Adrian was looking on the internet at home for disabled sports and came across a Talent Transition Day at Brunel University, this event was sponsored by GB Paralympics in the hope of finding future athletes, and Adrian decided to pursue a career in sport, something he had always loved.
Adrian is an ambassador for 4 charities Warrington Disability Partnership, BrainWave, Warrington Wolves Foundation, Stop Hate UK and is the official spokesperson for the Warrington Hate Crime Strategy. He also co-chairs the Disability Forum and has dedicated his spare time to coach over 3000 children in schools, colleges and for various charity organisations, including projects such as Total Sport, International Disability Awareness Day which brings children of all walks of life including those with disabilities, together through sport. /
Wednesday 11thMarch / 11.30am – 1.00pm / Vicarage
CVC008 / Holocaust Educational Trust
The Holocaust Educational Trust was established in 1988, with the aim of educating people from every background about the Holocaust and the important lessons to be learned for today. The Trust works in schools, universities and in the community to raise awareness and understanding of the Holocaust, providing teacher training, an outreach programme for schools, teaching aids and resource material. One of their earliest achievements was ensuring that the Holocaust formed part of the National Curriculum for History. They continue to play a leading role in training teachers on how best to teach the Holocaust and we are pleased that they will be forming part of this year’s festival programme. We are privileged to welcome speaker Eva Clarke who was born in the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria on 29th April 1945. Eva and her mother were the only survivors from their immediate family, 15 members of whom were killed in Auschwitz. Read her full biography here. /
Wednesday 11thMarch / 1.00pm – 5.00pm / Westminster