Staff at Manningham Housing Association (MHA) have celebrated National Inclusion Week by taking part in a packed series of activities at their Bradford head office on the theme of ‘Take Action, Make Impact.’
The programme, organised in partnership with the Housing Diversity Network, included a daily communal lunch with everyone invited to wear traditional dress.
Yoga sessions, quizzes and bingo formed core elements of the week alongside group discussions and training sessions focussed on inclusivity.
These were complemented by more vigorous pursuits such as a table football tournament and a skipping rope challenge with prizes up for grabs.
This is the third year that MHA has participated in National Inclusion Week which seeks to bring people together, celebrate difference and create a more inclusive workplace.
MHA is the first housing association in the country to be officially accredited for its work in promoting equality, diversity and inclusion, and last year received the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce Equality Trailblazer Award for its achievements.
The team tasked with coordinating MHA’s National Inclusion Week activities was led by its Corporate Project Manager, Carolina Padovezi de Oliveira.
She said: “I could not be prouder of the collective effort that made the week such a resounding success.
“We set out to create a more inclusive workplace and, through active participation, we made significant strides towards achieving that objective.
“It was heartening to see so many of my MHA colleagues enthusiastically take part in insightful training sessions, engaging games and challenging quizzes – there was something for everyone.
“The skipping rope competition, table football final and yoga sessions were not only fun but also emphasised the importance of physical wellbeing and inclusivity.”
Ulfat Hussain, MHA Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Operations, said: “National Inclusion Week has become one of the absolute highlights in our calendar with this year’s event line-up the biggest, best and most diverse yet.
“The group discussions included topics such as body language, disability awareness, mental health, faith and culture. These conversations are crucial in breaking down barriers and fostering a more inclusive workplace environment.
“The communal lunches, traditional dress days and many other activities helped to create an even greater sense of togetherness that will extend far beyond National Inclusion Week.
“It is an ongoing journey and the active involvement of everyone at MHA is instrumental in sustaining this momentum. I am proud of them all.”
Barrington Billings, MHA Chair, said: “Promoting inclusion is at the heart of everything Manningham Housing Association does, it is in our DNA.
“On behalf of the Board, I congratulate Carolina and her team for delivering an outstanding and innovative National Inclusion Week programme.
“Their tireless efforts set the inclusivity bar higher year after year.”
