CAMDEN COMMUNITY UPDATE - NOVEMBER 2023
GLL 30TH ANNIVERSARY AT THE HOUSE OF COMMONS
On the 2nd November, Adriana had the privilege of attending a spectacular event at the House of Commons, celebrating 30 years of leisure, 15 years of GLL Sport Foundation, and 10 years of GLL libraries. It was an absolute joy to witness the positive impact that GLL has had on communities across the country throughout the last three decades.
Not only did we celebrate the incredible milestones of GLL, but we also had the chance to reflect on the achievements and progress made along the way. From providing accessible and inclusive leisure opportunities to nurturing young talented athletes through the GLL Sport Foundation, GLL has been a driving force in promoting wellbeing and community engagement. We also welcomed many of our partners including suppliers and NGBs.
The celebration at the House of Commons was a testament to the hard work and commitment GLL has shown over the past three decades. As a worker board member, I am immensely proud to be part of an organisation that prioritises the well-being and development of individuals and communities. GLL's commitment to fostering positive change has been unwavering, and it was an honour to celebrate their achievements at such a prestigious venue.
Here's to another 30 years of creating positive impact and inspiring countless more individuals across the country!
SURVIVOR’S WELLBEING DAY AT LONDON IRISH CENTRE
On Monday 27th November, the Community Team had the opportunity to attend a Survivors Wellbeing Day at the Irish Life Centre. One of the London Irish Centre’s service aims is in integration, and they wanted to introduce their clients to other services that would benefit their physical, social, and mental wellbeing. This event was private and only included survivors. The event aimed to unite a community which otherwise has very little opportunity to interact with one another. It was a joy to interact with so many people and speak to them about the different classes and services we provide across Camden. Joining in with some Dog therapy and treating ourselves to amazing food were real bonuses!
The Survivors Integrated Service provides support and advocacy to former residents and survivors of Irish institutions living in London and the South East. The survivor’s integrated service is fully funded by Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) and is delivered at the London Irish Centre by a skilled and informed team with personal and lived experiences.
This professional, responsive and individualised service delivers high levels of emotional and practical support, using a holistic and strengths-based approach. The team work across the organisation to integrate people into activities and other appropriate services, including advocacy and external signposting to counselling, aiming always to achieve the best outcomes for those who require their service.
COMMUNITY TEAM ATTEND DISABILITY EQUALITY TRAINING
Last week, our team was really lucky to attend incredibly insightful Disability Equality Training led by Purple Tuesday and the fantastic Chamiah Dewey. Chamiah is the founder of the brand DEWEY, the UK's first fashion brand for short stature people under 5ft. Offering stylish, timeless pieces, made with the planet in mind, Chamiah’s knowledge and passion for inclusivity radiated the room and is what made the session so interesting.
Navigating the employment landscape can be challenging for individuals with disabilities (and, to be fair, anyone at the moment!), and this session really emphasised importance and the value of creating truly inclusive workplaces. From understanding the daily hurdles faced by disabled individuals to recognising the incredible value they bring to teams, the session was a deep dive into the world of diversity and inclusion. We discussed the importance of language when referring to disabled people, but also the use of clear and unambiguous language in working environments to make them more accessible.
Camden has a strong network of community organisations representing the disability community, it is our responsibility to work with these organisations as well as our own internal Learning and Development team to better understand the requirements and reasonable adjustments which need to be made for disabled citizens. As a charitable social enterprise, it’s our purpose to improve the physical, mental and social wellbeing of people in our local and diverse communities. Our equality, diversity and inclusion policy ensures this purpose is delivered across all GLL facilities in a vibrant, equitable and inclusive way. GLL is committed to building a workforce within Camden that reflects the diversity of the local community and brings the benefit of a wide range of backgrounds and experience. It is GLL’s ambition that Camden’s leisure centres are provided for Camden’s people, by Camden’s people. GLL will continue to recruit locally, growing the proportion of staff in Camden who are residents.
Recruiting disabled talent isn't just a checkbox—it's an investment in a richer, more innovative, and empathetic work environment. Sessions like this continue to inspire us to champion diversity and create spaces where everyone's unique abilities are not only recognised but celebrated! Thank you Chamiah for such an inspirational afternoon!
BETTER SPONSOR CAMDEN ECO CHAMPION AWARDS
This month, our team had the pleasure of attending Camden's Eco Champions Awards, and it was truly inspiring to witness the incredible work being done to promote sustainability in our community.
The Camden Eco Champion Awards were created to recognise and celebrate the residents of our Borough who go above and beyond to protect our environment. The competition aims to highlight those that are committed to creating positive change, and show that any initiative, however small or large, should be rewarded and celebrated.
The awards ceremony was hosted in the iconic Roundhouse in Camden Town and we were thrilled to contribute to the celebration by offering free family swims as prizes. The event was attended by the local press, as well as other sponsors, the judges (drawn from Camden Council, Camden Cyclists, TfL, Loud Mobility and Chestertons) and the team at Camden Clean Air.
Congratulations to the deserving recipients of the awards: the Mini Warriors, Junior Heroes, Local Leaders, and Super Schools. Their dedication and commitment to sustainability are truly commendable. What struck us the most was the incredible work being carried out by the children in Camden. Their projects and initiatives around sustainability were nothing short of inspirational. From innovative recycling programmes to community gardens, these young eco-champions are leading the way in creating a greener and more sustainable future from a really young age.
Thank you to Camden Clean Air for inviting us to this remarkable event. It was an evening filled with motivation and hope, and wonderful food! Special thanks to the Mayor of Camden for delivering an inspiring speech, highlighting the importance of sustainability and the incredible efforts of the award recipients.
NEW TRAINEE MANAGER PLACEMENT – NATHAN EGERTON
This month we had the pleasure of welcoming Nathan onto our team. Nathan started with GLL on the Trainee Manager Scheme in September with his first placement being in the Customer Service Centre. Nathan grew up in Brussels and then went to university in Loughborough so has a very interesting background! He has been supporting on various agendas so far such as the Community Engagement Framework, GLL Sport Foundation applications and putting his film-making skills to good use by creating our Community Comms Day video! He has also attended a number of community events recently which have helped him understand the Camden demographics and priorities.