Celebrating Black History Month at Sheffield Children’s

October is very special as it is Black History Month. The aim of black history month is to promote knowledge of black history, culture and heritage. It’s a time where we can come together and share positive contributions from past and present. It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to recognise and celebrate the outstanding contributions from people of African and Caribbean descent, both across the UK and right here in Sheffield.

We hope that alongside the work we are doing to address inequalities, this month-long celebration will contribute to a culture of belonging, inclusion and understanding. Our Black, Asian and Minority Ethic (BAME) and ally network – which includes staff from across Sheffield Children’s – is leading the celebrations, ranging from special dishes in the restaurant, to inspirational stories​, book recommendations ​and workshops for colleagues. Throughout the month we’ll also be taking the opportunity to highlight the work of the network and helping you get to know some of the colleagues who are part of it. 

Black History Month has been celebrated across the UK for nearly 40 years during the month of October. The NHS is the biggest employer of people from a BAME background in Europe; with one-in-five of the workforce being from a BAME background. Sheffield Children’s workforce is 10% BAME.  People of BAME heritage make an invaluable contribution to the UK in all areas of life.

This year we will be marking Black History Month with a number of activities organised by the BAME and Ally Network Group, including:

• Staff profiles of colleagues in the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities
• Recommended books and films for Black History Month
• International recipes in the canteen at the hospital site
• Sheffield Children’s – ‘wall of BAME’ photo collection
• Historical and inspirational black figures and their contributions to healthcare
• Black History Month webinars for colleagues
• Race Equality in Medicine: The need for the Medical Workforce Race Equality Standard (MWRES) – a workshop by Professor Mala Rao OBE for Sheffield Children’s staff

We would like to thank all contributions from the BAME and ally network group and staff for organising the events. We hope you will join us in celebration for Black History Month 2020.

Keep a look out for more information ​throughout the month!