Women in Health & Safety Committee meets to set out plans for 2021.
The Women in Health and Safety Committee has met to set out its plans for 2021, which includes a series of workstreams, designed to help promote equality and amplify the voices of women in the profession. A new mailing list has also been created to help share the message of the group and to promote upcoming events.
Women in Health and Safety is a thriving network of people, both male and female who support gender equality and want to see women flourish in our profession. The network regularly connects in-person, in non-COVID-19 times, and online. All the get-togethers are free to attend and open to all, with men and women actively encouraged to join.
The committee is made up of volunteers from the health & safety profession (and other relevant related professions) and is Chaired by Heather Beach from the Healthy Work Company. Heather told SHP: “It is fantastic to see such renewed interest in the group following our relaunch which takes us away from our original narrow remit of just running face to face events.
“It feels like the fetters are off – and whilst I am sure we can’t wait to see each other face to face again, to be able to widen our scope to all sorts of areas which support women’s career progression in health and safety is a compelling proposition.”
Throughout 2020, a series of ‘virtual cuppa’s’ were organised to bring people together and have a chat about their successes, and struggles, during the pandemic.
In January, the Committee met to discuss of the opportunities for the Women in Health & Safety Network for 2021. Plans include:
Following the meeting, a series of workstreams have been set up, with volunteers from the Committee stepping forward to run each one. The workstreams include:
Mentoring
o Run by Gillian Simcox – supported by Donna Walker, Claire Saunders, Karen McDonnell, Kate Field.
Events
o Run by Amy Sadro – supported by Anastasia Hayden, Ian Hart, Charlotte Geoghegan, Barbara Marino, Sarah McDowell, Paul Breslin.
Social media
o Run by Chinwe Okeke – supported by Charlotte Taylor, Rebecca Walpole, Clare Saunders.
Getting young People into health & safety
o Run by Aoife Devaney – supported by Karen McDonnell, Anne Gardner-Aston, Ruth Denyer.
Collaborating with other networks
o Run by International Women in Safety Coalition Chair, Anne Gardner-Aston.
o Run by Charlotte Geoghegan and Ian Hart.
Further information
Click here for more about the Women in Health & Safety Network, including past and up-coming events.
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Listen to Heather Beach, Chair of the Women in Health and Safety Network in the UK, discuss how the pandemic has affected the network, it’s plans for 2021 and how you can get involved. Plus, learn about the new International Women in Safety Coalition. If you want to jump directly to the interview with Heather, scroll to 27:34 in the media player below.
The episode also features an in-depth interview with Gill Kernick about the pressing need to improve building safety culture post-Grenfell, plus an update on the One Percent Safer Foundation.
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