Perhaps schools, or community organisations might want a copy

IT WAS a real pleasure to read the recent article in the Echo on our 50 year celebrations, illustrating the book we’ve produced, showing the history and development of our work over that half century.

You rightly highlighted a few of the many local folk involved. This reflects a central focus of Equality Action - namely we are very much a community group, across the whole of Charnwood. “All equal, all different - together we can make a difference.”

Just to ensure it’s not forgotten, Charnwood Borough Council, or its equivalent predecessors, have given us stalwart and essential funding support.

However, today there’s a real need for this to be augmented by awards and grants from UK national bodies, as our diverse equalities work and professional advice required by the public increased.

Co-operation and support was also forthcoming from the EU for our training programmes so bringing together local young folk side by side with students from across - and even beyond - Europe.

So at local, national and even international level, we’ve shown how inclusive and interconnected we all are.

Our illustrated book was created through a grant from The National Lottery Community Fund.

Since a your report, we’ve received number of calls for copies. Great!

Perhaps there will be schools or community organisations at every level across Charnwood which might welcome a copy for libraries. If so, let us know. There is no charge.

The stories it tells of how we all strove to ensure nobody is seen as an ‘outsider’ over half a century - sometimes a time of disturbing, challenging change - is surely one we believe will be of interest to young students. Ours is after all a ‘living history’.

Can I suggest if anyone wants to know more, why not visit our websites, which are www.equalityaction.org.uk, you can also find us on social media.

Contact us that, directly. And if after you’d like to join with us, help build bridges, and as actual members enhance our work, that would be fantastic. It would reinforce the community focus we embody, and what’s more, that significant contribution we’ve created over those eventful years!

Let’s ensure together we really will continue make that difference. In hope, David Featonby Chair Equality Action