Newsletter for October, November, and December 2023

As the leaves turn to shades of gold and the air begins to cool, we welcome the enchanting autumn season. With great excitement, we present the latest edition of our newsletter, marking the transition into the final months of the year. This season, we have plenty of updates and news to share with you.

We cordially invite you to dive into our Activities Guide, where you’ll uncover a wealth of insights providing a thorough overview of our active initiatives and engaging projects.

Additional Funding from The National Lottery Community Fund Know Your Neighbourhood

Thanks to the generous support from TNLCF Know Your Neighbourhood, we have successfully secured additional funding that will empower us to continue our mission of supporting women from minority communities in Tameside through our bespoke training and learning programme.

This funding means the world to us, as it enables us to keep making a significant impact and fostering growth within our community. Together, let’s embrace diversity and work towards creating a brighter future for everyone.

We’re dedicated to maximizing the potential of every individual we serve, and this new support will help us do just that.

To read more about the Women’s Basic Skills Training and Employment Project, please click here.

May 2023 Picnic to Dovestones

This picnic was first planned for Sept 2022, around the week when Queen Elizabeth II passed away, but was cancelled like many other events, during the period of state mourning. Second time, it was planned for March 2023, it was snowing most of that week and no one fancied a picnic in the snow 😊

“I don’t blame them”, said our CEO, Gemma Gaskell.

In May, the Women Supporting Women Project (WSW) finally took a group of 30 South Asian women from Tameside on a walk by the reservoir followed by a group picnic.

We took two groups, one from Hyde, the other from Ashton. This picnic was funded by Action Together in partnership with Tameside council, to raise awareness amongst the South Asian women in Tameside about support for Women in crisis and how to access the mainstream services. There was a lot of engagement and discussions from the group around this topic, with some sharing their thoughts and personal experiences. The women all enjoyed the atmosphere and setting in which the workshop was delivered.

When asked if they would’ve attended this workshop in a room setting, most replied, “not likely.”

The picnic was supported by Councillor for Dukinfield, Naila Sharif, and Shahnaz Mirza from the Umeed activity group based at St James C of E primary school.

Our staff from the Women Supporting Women project -Nisma Akhtar and Mahmuda Begum worked with a group of women from Hyde and a group of Women from Ashton to support attendance.

This partnership support allowed us to reach women who do not usually access groups.

This picnic was a success in reaching and bringing together new women and introducing them to the regular attendees of the sessions held at Hyde, together with some peer mentors who work as volunteers in the WSW project.  The picnic was a great opportunity to bring the groups together from different areas of Tameside whilst delivering the workshop in outdoor settings.

Having been introduced to the local outdoors, the women can now access the Dovestones reservoir with their families, share the information with others helping to improve the mental wellbeing of the community and coming generations.

DMNW Fundraising News

“Transform Your Online Shopping into Everyday Magic for Diversity Matters North West with Easyfundraising!

We’re excited to share a wonderful opportunity with you – a simple way to support Diversity Matters North West while doing your online shopping. With Easyfundraising, you can shop as usual, and brands will donate to us at no extra cost to you!

Here’s how to get started:

Scan the QR code below:

or visit https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/diversity-matters-north-west

Join us in making a difference while you shop, and let’s create positive change together!

The next fundraising event we are planning will be a sponsored walk in February. Our staff, volunteers, trustees, and people who access our services and activities will be taking part. The walk will be in the local Hyde area, and it won’t be difficult to make sure that everyone who wants to, can take part.

Look out for more information on our social media and website. If you want to get involved in the sponsored walk or any other fundraising for DMNW please contact lesley@diversitymattersnw.org.uk you will be very welcome!

Upcoming Events

Save the Date: Volunteer Celebration Event

Get ready to celebrate the incredible dedication of our volunteers at our annual Volunteer Celebration event. Here are the essential details:

Date: Thursday, October 26th, 2023

Time: 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM

Venue: Hyde Central Methodist Church, SK14 1NQ

Trustees Week: Sharing Their Stories

As we gear up to celebrate **Trustees Week** from November 6th to 10th, we are thrilled to introduce you to the heart and soul of our organization – our incredible Trustees. This year, we are embarking on a journey to showcase the diverse and inspiring individuals who guide our mission with unwavering dedication.

We believe that by sharing their stories, we can highlight the diversity and strength of our Trustee team while inspiring others to consider similar roles in their own organizations.

During Trustees Week, we encourage you to visit our social media channels daily. Each day, we will feature a different Trustee’s video or profile, providing you with an intimate look at the passionate individuals who guide our organization’s journey.

This celebration also coincides with an exciting announcement – a new job vacancy within our organization. Keep an eye out for this opportunity, as it may be the perfect chance for you or someone you know to join our mission.

Thank you for being a part of our community, and we look forward to sharing these inspiring stories during Trustees Week. Together, we celebrate the invaluable contributions of our Trustees and the lasting impact they have on our organization.

Did you know?

  • We cannot run without our valuable volunteers, and we are always on the lookout for different types of volunteers to support us on the projects. Our volunteers not only do valuable work for us, but they gain new skills and experience, make new friends, and immerse themselves in the local community in the process. So, if you live in Tameside and have a few hours to spare, please get in touch!
  • Help us to continue to provide support to the local community across Tameside, by donating on our website donate function.  Our supporters can create their own campaigns to help to fundraise and support our core work with vulnerable people from minority communities through Facebook. Create your own campaign here.

Keep in touch!

We are available on the phone, via email and all staff members have mobile phones.  Our centre is open as usual, 20 Great Norbury St, Hyde, SK14 1BR.  All contact details are available on the contact page of our website.

Also, don’t forget to follow Diversity Matters North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can read all about the team, our trustees, our volunteers, what we do, and much more on our website.

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