It was a pleasure to recently organise FRP's first-ever Black History Month event. Aligned with this year’s theme, "Reclaiming Narratives", the evening was designed to celebrate aspects of black history and culture that may be unfamiliar to some. The night included delicious West African food provided by The Suya Pit, an informative talk about the history of the Krio tribe from Sierra Leone by Iyamide Thomas, and a captivating traditional African storytelling and musical performance by Usifu Jalloh, aka The Cowfoot Prince . 

The event brought together colleagues from across the business and provided an opportunity for everyone to learn and explore themes around black culture, history, and identity. Diversity and inclusion have always been extremely important to me and having been inspired by similar events I’ve seen both within and outside FRP, I wanted to create something that would demonstrate our commitment to our ongoing learning and growth as a business, while sparking meaningful conversations about how we can continue fostering a more diverse and inclusive work environment.  

I believe that this was an important step in FRP’s diversity and inclusion journey, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the EDI committee and across the business to build on this momentum, creating more opportunities to promote these values in the future. I understand that while education and awareness are essential first steps, real positive change requires both action and a fundamental commitment to becoming more inclusive and levelling the playing field across our industry. 

I’d like to thank FRP for their support in making this event possible, as well as everyone who helped ensure its success.