Anira Khokhar, Director of Gloucestershire Race Collective (formerly known as GREAG) shared an email update at the end of March.
The full update is below.
Hello Gloucestershire,
Today I am excited to share some updates from what was known as the Gloucestershire Race Equality Action Group (GREAG) – we have now rebranded ourselves as the Gloucestershire Race Collective!
Why did we change the name?
The change from GREAG to Gloucestershire Race Collective was made in response to feedback from diverse ethnic communities who found the name too long and lacking the power of change. Through discussions, we made a conscious effort to prioritise inclusion by listening to communities and working to address their needs. This transformation represents our commitment to creating a transparent and open dialogue to ensure that the foundations of equity are laid.
Branding and Website
In addition to this transition, we have been diligently working on refining our identity and creating a website that truly reflects the energy and importance of our mission. I am excited to announce that our holding page is now live at www.glosracecollective.org.uk offering a peek into our vision, branding, reports, and upcoming work. While it is still a work in progress, we encourage you to explore it and stay tuned for updates as we enhance its content.
Draft Strategy
Over the last 6 months we have been carefully developing a strategy for the Gloucestershire Race Collective based on insights gathered through community discussions. This strategy is more than words, on paper; it mirrors our shared dreams for a united Gloucestershire. We are excited to share that the first phase of this draft strategy is now complete and is currently in the trusting hands of our designers. The second phase of this strategy is the coproduction with Gloucestershire’s ethnic diverse communities which is an important element to ensure it is amplifying their voices and needs.
Over the coming weeks and months Gloucestershire Race collective will be presenting the draft strategy across the region and engaging with communities by holding sessions to gather feedback, suggestions, and ideas. We would love to hear from your organisations and institutions on when this would work for you – so please do get in touch. As we have always said we aim for collaboration and inclusivity every step of the way.
Terminology Resource
To ensure clarity and mutual understanding across Gloucestershire we have created a live document which has definitions of terminology used in the strategy to guarantee that both institutions and communities are, on the page regarding key concepts. Both this resource and our preliminary strategy are documents that will continue to evolve through efforts and feedback and will be available to download on our website.
Gloucestershire Statutory Integrated Care Partners: Insight Report
One of the key areas from previous reports conducted on Gloucestershire around racial disparities within Health services and discussions with ethnic diverse communities highlighted the need for Gloucestershire Race Collective to gain an insight into how these gaps could be addressed. We commissioned Jo Underwood, who spent 3 months focusing specifically on the statutory health and care organisational partners which make up Gloucestershire’s Integrated Care Board (ICB) and produce a report which would support and inform the development of Gloucestershire Race Collective. You can find the report on our website here.
Advisory Group
Looking forward we are keen on enhancing our involvement with community organizations and institutions forming partnerships that empower every voice. As part of this process, we will soon be recruiting for an Advisory group to offer guidance and expertise ensuring that our initiatives remain rooted, in both skill and real-world experiences.
Thank you
I want to express my gratitude to the initial steering group of GREAG who sowed the seed for the need to have a racial justice infrastructure; the Black South West Network who initially hosted GREAG and were also funded to produce ‘The Community-Led Momentum in Gloucestershire to Tackle Healthcare Inequalities’ which can be found on our website; and the Gloucestershire VCS Alliance for their invaluable support, cooperation and for continuing to host us through this monumental transition.
A very big thank you goes to the ethnic diverse communities in Gloucestershire who have never given up hope and continue to have faith by sharing their most painful and joyous experience of Gloucestershire. Without you we would not have got this far. Your lived experiences and celebrations are what will shape not only Gloucestershire Race Collective but make an impact in bridging racial divides and advocating for the rights of these communities.
The future
As we embark on this journey together, I feel excited, about the opportunities that lie ahead. Let’s come together in our dedication to fairness, equality and inclusivity working towards building a Gloucestershire where everyone feels valued supported and empowered.
Spread the word
Please can I request that you share this email within your networks and mailing lists.
I am looking forward to connecting and working together with each one of you.
Best wishes,
Anira Khokhar
Director
Gloucestershire Race Collective
Get in touch
You can get in contact with Anira by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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