#SafeguardingWeek2020 #BlackLivesMatter #SayNoToHate
#LeedsNoPlaceForHate #Safeguarding

Before we went online one of our members main focus was to reduce hate and mate crime through a performance based workshop to year 6 primary schools pupils with Bright Sparks Theatre group.  This still remains a focus but for now we are focusing on the mental wellness of some of the 300 members on our new Facebook group page (Leep1 Group) which was started during lockdown. 

Only last week one of our members reported that she had been called “Rastafarian” as she was getting off the bus by one young boy who was with all his school friends.  She is a mixed race lady with a mild learning disability and told me what had happened. 

She had not fully understood that it had even been a racist remark, I told her it was important to report it otherwise things will never change for anyone that is perceived different because of their disability, race, gender, religion and sexuality. 

Over the past few weeks especially during the ‘Black Lives Matter’ campaign it had highlighted further the need for people’s attitudes in society to change and see everyone as an equal no matter who you are.

Stories like this sadden me and realise that the work we have been doing in schools is more important than ever if there is to be a change!

I think it should be taught in all school curriculum especially in areas that are predominantly white British.

Helping support some of our members online has been vital during lockdown, it has kept them going, given them something to get up in a morning and more importantly given them a voice to tell us if they need help.  We have been running our People First meetings with the members of the ‘Leep1 Group’, who help to run virtual club nights, cooking, and have been admin on a weekend, it has helped us to support each other through Covid-19 with daily check-ins on Zoom at 3.00pm.

More importantly through digital we are able to support our members to have a voice and support them to be heard.

Everybody is unique in their own way and we need to embrace everybody’s differences and start being more kinder in the world.

Mandy Haigh
Leep1 Manage
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