College flagged among best for LGBT+ inclusion

West Nottinghamshire College has been presented with the Rainbow Flag award, a national quality assurance framework that focuses on positive LGBT+ inclusion and visibility for schools and colleges.

It demonstrates a commitment to improving the lives of all young people the college works with and has been evidenced by implementing monthly and termly LGBT+ meetings across various campuses, enabling students to raise matters among like-minded peers.

The college is encouraging an organisational approach to LGBT+ inclusion, as well as developing strategies to effectively challenge and combat bullying.

Organisational development manager Sara Arnold, who worked on projects that earned the accolade alongside student coach Wayne Golding, said: “We have evidenced some fantastic inclusive teaching practice that takes place within the college. We have been supported by the LGBT+ Nottinghamshire team, which has facilitated internal training with our staff on transgender awareness and learning about terminology.”

Region hosts events showcase

Delegates from 90 organisations visited Nottingham for a Great Supplier Winter Showcase by the UK’s business events, accommodation and meetings trade body, beam.

Hosted at Nottingham Venues’ East Midlands Conference Centre (EMCC), the event showcased leading venues and agents within the sector, which is worth £31.2bn annually to the UK economy.

The biannual event promotes best practice and education between venues and offers the opportunity for suppliers to network with their agency counterparts, promoting product knowledge and building genuine and integral relationships.

Beam, a membership organisation within the business events sector, chose EMCC for the national event due to the combination of conferencing facilities and hotel accommodation available at the four-star Orchard Hotel on the same site within the 300-acre University of Nottingham campus.

The EMCC has recently undergone a £2.1m refurbishment programme and is on course for a record year, with strong demand for conferencing and events facilities from organisations across the UK as the sector recovers from the pandemic.

Melissa Sobo, director of sales at Nottingham Venues, said: “We want more companies to choose Nottingham as a destination for conferences and events as this will bring commercial benefits to the whole city. Raising awareness of the first-class facilities available at the EMCC, alongside our other venues to beam members is a step in helping us to achieve that aim.”