A milestone for college’s Diversity Fayre
Staff and students at Gower College Swansea recently celebrated a very colourful milestone – the tenth anniversary of its Diversity Fayre.
Every year since 2005, students, staff and community groups have gathered at the college for a carnival of music and dance.
Among the entertainment on offer this year was African drumming, Brazilian martial arts, and displays of Bollywood, street and Chinese dance. Live music was provided by students from Llwyn y Bryn and Gorseinon as well as the Gower College Swansea choir.
External participants included Bawso, members of the Chinese and Thai local communities, Swansea City of Sanctuary and the Swansea Bay Regional Equality Council, who hosted information stalls at the college.
“Our students also play a crucial role in this event,” says the college’s Equality and Diversity Leader Jane John. “Independent Living Skills students had a ‘challenging stereotypes’ photo booth, our ESOL students organised a stall raising money for Syrian refugees (£137 at latest count) and IT students produced a Powerpoint presentation and a video game about gender equality, cyber-bullying and online trolling. The college's feminist, LGBT and environmental societies also ran stalls promoting awareness of equality issues."
In conjunction with the college’s wider Diversity Week, a series of workshops and fundraising events were held to raise awareness of Show Racism the Red Card. This took the form of workshops with plumbing, electrical and sport students, a spot of sponsored leg waxing at Tycoch and a table tennis tournament between ESOL students and staff at Llwyn y Bryn. Over £85 has been raised so far for this initiative.
“Diversity Week is an opportunity for everyone to get together to celebrate the cultural richness of our community,” adds Jane. “With the help and support of our partnership organisations, we can have a lot of fun as well as promoting awareness of equality issues such as hate crime, racism and asylum during lessons and workshops.”
Photos: Diversity Fayre Gorseinon - Nikkila Thomas / Tycoch - Chris Costello / Llwyn y Bryn - Ben Murphy