International Nurses Day was this year celebrated around the world on Sunday 12th May. The Royal College of Nursing invited healthcare professionals to organise their own get-togethers with colleagues.
The Equals IW Friendship Group joined an event at the St Mary's Hospital to celebrate Happy Nurse Day on the Friday before. Niviera attended the event and met the Director of Nursing, Midwifery, AHP's and Community Services, St Mary's catering manager and many other wonderful Nurses and staff.
Tuti and Arum volunteered to make bala bala, spring rolls and pukis cake for the occasion. Obviously these delicious Indonesian snacks were gone in no time. Thanks to Arum and Tuti.
The Equals IW Mardi Gras team is currently numbers 20 this year with female, male and children taking part. If you want to join the team please
Base Costume
All team members are now required to purchase the following and wear it on the day.
- Footwear: White trainers, or any type of white flat footwear
- Lower Body: White long shorts or white slim line trousers or white tracksuit bottoms or white jogging bottoms or white leggings
- Upper Body: White short or long sleeved T-shirt
Costume Design
Each team member in the parade will be holding something in their hand to wave in the air to attract the eyes of the crowd. We will be re-using the Komodo Dragon from last year as he has survived the rain but needs some tender care.
We are now looking for Lead Designers to work with Sandra
- Four people to lead on the main costume design
- Two people to lead on the design of a hand held item
- Two people to lead the Komodo Dragon re-design
One design from the last meeting has a style and colours representing woodlands, ponds and wildlife to match our Bouldnor Forest theme. The lead costume team designers may include a backpack in the costume.
The Annual General Meeting and Committee Meeting will take place on
- Saturday 23rd March 2019
- 10am to 1pm with tea and coffee at 11.30am
- Riverside Centre, Newport, Isle of Wight
If anybody would like to make and bring refreshments to eat please do let Mark know what you are bringing so he can organise some plates and so on.
If you would like a new exciting challenge for 2019 then come and join the Equals IW Committee.
We are looking for people to volunteer and develop the work of Equals IW:
- Secretary – work includes typing committee minutes, organising committee meetings, taking meeting minutes, organising meeting venues, replying to Website and Facebook enquiries, sending official correspondence on behalf of Equals IW.
- Press Secretary – work includes promoting Equals IW's local meetings, activities and events in the local press, local magazine publications, online and on the local radio. Also prepare and issue statements about relevant affairs on behalf of Equals IW.
- Grants and Funding Co-ordinators – to work in a team to seek out and propose funding sources and make funding applications.
- Education and Training Co-ordinators – to work in a team to promote equality and diversity in the community and the work of Equals IW. Deliver awareness training of equality and diversity, facilitate and deliver talks and presentations on equality and diversity in the community. Delivery of formal and informal programmes involving equality and diversity activities to schools, colleges, community groups, adult learners and staff associated with businesses.
- Fundraising Co-ordinators – work in a team to plan, organise, facilitate and run fund raising activities and events for Equals IW.
- Equals Development Co-ordinators – work in a team to develop new opportunities for Equals IW, develop partnership working opportunities, identify, suggest and co-ordinate events for Equals IW to be involved in.
To find out more contact us or visit our Facebook page.
You can download and display our flyer.
The meeting discussed many points converning how Equals IW should attract members and form links to other island organisations
Main Points of General Interest
- Committee Member Recruitment. Equals IW plans to approach the Isle of Wight College and other Six Form Colleges on the island to provide an opportunity ideal for students or volunteers looking to develop their career by gaining practical experience within a charity as a volunteer in these exciting roles.
- There is to be an account on iwight.com where all Equals IW activities can be advertised including flyers and information. This site is idea for advertising events such as Asian Day, Diversity Day and Friendship Groups Activities and so on.
- The Friendship group plan to hold a photo shoot in spring with members wearing a National Costume with landscape backgrounds from various island locations. The photos taken could then be used for a future calendar celebrating diversity on the island.
- The Friendship group supported Black History Month at St Mary's Hospital on 19th October 2019
The next meeting is scheduled to take place in February 2019.
This is a very brief abstract from the minutes of the meeting.
A copy of the minutes is available on
The next Equals IW Committee meeting below was cancelled:
- Saturday 26th January 2019
- 10.00am to 12.00 Noon
- Riverside Centre, The Quay Street, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 2QR
- Room To Be Confirmed
To gain access to The Riverside Centre free parking
- Turn Left at the Fairlee Petrol Station Traffic Lights if travelling out of Newport towards Ryde or Right if travelling into Newport.
- Drive down past the Skate Park, Car Park and Council Planning Office on your right driving as far as you can go reaching the Travel Lodge.
- Then turn left to drive right along the Quay heading towards Newport to the Riverside Centre Car Park.
The next committee meeting will be on Thursday 29th November 2018. 6pm to 8.30pm.
The venue is the Riverside Centre, Newport in the Medina Room.
If travelling out of Newport towards Ryde turn Left at the Fairlee Petrol Station Traffic Lights Turn Right if travelling into Newport. Drive down past the Skate Park, Car Park and Council Planning Office as far as the Travel Lodge. Then turn left along the Quay towards Newport to the Riverside Centre Car Park where parking is free.
An earthquake followed by a tsunami caused devastation for Palu in Indonesia leaving hundreds and thousands of people in urgent need of clean water, food and shelter.
You can make a donation by visiting the Disasters Emergency Committee website.
Main Points of General Interest
Equals IW plans include
- Delivering a Diversity Awareness Session to Newport Parish Council during October.
- Attendance at the inaugural meeting for next years Mardi Gras parade. The 2019 theme is ‘The Big IW Biosphere Mardi Gras’ with a launch event on Tuesday 30th October 2018, 6pm at The Quays Art Centre, Newport.
- Restarting the Men's Friendship Group
- Organising an event to Celebrate United Nations Diversity Day on Tuesday 21st May 2019
- A stand at a half day Provider Fair in the Newport Jobcentre Plus on Wednesday 28th November 2018
The Women's Friendship Group has restarted after the summer break and will also support the second year Black History Month. The group have decided not to cook this year but attend in National Costume on the 19th October 2018 at St Mary’s Hospital in the Circle Café.
The Isle of Wight Asian Day event was cancelled due to the weather but a smaller celebration was held at the organiser's house for those who had travelled down especially from the mainland for the day.
The next committee meeting will be held in the first half of November 2018 at a location to be announced.
This is a very brief abstract from the minutes of the meeting.
A copy of the minutes is available on
Equals IW joined local providers at the first Provider Fair held at the Ryde Jobcentre Plus.
Equals IW prepared a stand in partnership with MCEnhancement Training and Development and the Prison Officers Association (POA). Around 12 other local organisations were present.
The aim was for Jobcentre Work Coaches to visit stands learning about the organisations and the range of people those organisations support.
The Jobcentre Plus Coaches could then signpost people they are supporting to the relevant organisations.
Some of the issues with helping people unable to work were
- Illness
- Disability
- Mental well-being
- Self confidence and self esteem
- Isolation
as well as common problems associated with being unemployed and out of work.
The Provider Fair also let those seeking support from Jobcentre Plus Services engage positively with the appropriate local organisations.