Kirklees pledges support to anti-racism movement in West Yorkshire

Organisations across Kirklees have come together to show support for the "Root out racism" movement.
Pictured left to right: a PCSO from West Yorkshire Police, Marine Yarde (Kirklees Council), Carol McKenna (chief officer of Kirklees CCG), Coun Shabir Pandor (Leader of Kirklees Council and movement ambassador), Rachel Spencer-Henshall (director of public health in Kirklees), Ann Hough (operations director at Huddersfield Town AFC and Huddersfield Town Foundation Trustee), and a PCSO from West Yorkshire PolicePictured left to right: a PCSO from West Yorkshire Police, Marine Yarde (Kirklees Council), Carol McKenna (chief officer of Kirklees CCG), Coun Shabir Pandor (Leader of Kirklees Council and movement ambassador), Rachel Spencer-Henshall (director of public health in Kirklees), Ann Hough (operations director at Huddersfield Town AFC and Huddersfield Town Foundation Trustee), and a PCSO from West Yorkshire Police
Pictured left to right: a PCSO from West Yorkshire Police, Marine Yarde (Kirklees Council), Carol McKenna (chief officer of Kirklees CCG), Coun Shabir Pandor (Leader of Kirklees Council and movement ambassador), Rachel Spencer-Henshall (director of public health in Kirklees), Ann Hough (operations director at Huddersfield Town AFC and Huddersfield Town Foundation Trustee), and a PCSO from West Yorkshire Police

West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership (WY&H HCP) and the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) today (Monday) launched the area’s anti-racism movement.

More than 500 organisations and community allies have joined the anti-racism movement, which aims to encourage people to better inform themselves on anti-racist behaviours and practices, while linking to training and people’s life stories.

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Kirklees based supporters include Kirklees Council, Kirklees CCG, Huddersfield Town Foundation, University of Huddersfield, The Kirkwood, Kirklees Visual Impairment Network, Huddersfield New College and Conscious Youth.

Coun Shabir Pandor, Leader of Kirklees Council and movement ambassador, said: “Rooting out racism is incredibly important for Kirklees and WY&H HCP.

"I’m delighted that nearly 500 organisations and community allies including the West Yorkshire Mayor and Deputy Mayor are getting behind our movement to root out racism.

"We really are stronger together and only by working side by side with colleagues and communities locally and across West Yorkshire and Harrogate can we proactively change society for the better for everyone.”

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The movement has been developed using people’s experiences of racism.

More than 100 ethnic minority colleagues from across the partnership have come forward to share their experiences of racism and help their colleagues and other organisations to take action.

The movement is part of an ongoing commitment to tackling structural and institutionalised racism, as well as addressing health and social inequalities across West Yorkshire and Harrogate.

The anti-racism movement also has the backing of high-profile figures and organisations including Coun Pandor, leader of Kirklees Council who is also the WY&H HCP lead for the movement; West Yorkshire Mayor, Tracy Brabin; Yorkshire Cricket Club, Yorkshire Sports Foundation, Keighley Cougars, The Leeds United Foundation, The Huddersfield Town Foundation and Bradford Bulls Foundation.