Table of Contents
Highlights and News
1. The Strive to Grow Leadership Programme comes to an end
2. DRI collaborates with partners at important events
3. Social Media Essentials Training with the BMECP
4. Drafting a Constitution and Deciding a Legal Status Training
5. The DRI team receives funding from the Lloyds Bank Foundation
6. Changes in DRI’s Leadership
7. Carers Support Groups Facilitators were recognised at the ESPIC Annual Care Awards 2025
8. DRI was shortlisted for the Sussex Sport and Physical Activity Awards
14. Conflict of Interest Management Workshop with Mebrak Ghebreweldi
15. Support groups for people who look after someone
16. The Friendship Bench Pilot Project is currently under study, but you can still get involved
17. New Eco-systemic Walking Therapy sessions coming up next year
18. Volunteering Opportunities
19. Resources
Newsletter
Diversity Resource International
November 2025
Editor's Note
Diversity Resource International (DRI) has continued to grow over the past few months, and it’s been incredible to see firsthand how much the team has advanced in its mission to create and provide new opportunities for global majority UK residents.
During our Eastbourne Cultural Involvement Group (ECIG) meeting in early October, participants spoke about the rise in religious hate crimes across the country and how hurtful rhetoric against people from different ethnicities has become part of our daily lives. Though these realities are painful and difficult to process, they remind us that now, even more than before, we must continue to show up for those who need us most.
If you’re a regular reader, you may notice that this month’s newsletter comes in a new format, as we have decided to experiment with a more interactive way of sharing updates and information with you.
We are also on our way to start including stories from our partners, collaborators, and community members. This month, we are starting by sharing a piece written by Chi Ling, one of our most dedicated Community Researchers, alongside the story and reflections of Sharmin Kaniz, a Community Interpreter with incredible talent.
We will remain open to new collaborations and hope to include a wider range of voices in future editions. If you’d like to contribute a feature, please email us at comms@driorg.com.
Wishing you a happy read,
Amanda Silva
Communications Officer, DRI
Highlights and News
The Strive to Grow Leadership Programme comes to an end
The Strive to Grow Leadership Programme was especially designed for ethnically diverse-led community and voluntary organisations based in Sussex.
DRI invited individuals and organisations aspiring to enhance their leadership skills and strengthen their operational capacity to take part in a series of workshops and apply for one-to-one coaching.
Running from June to August 2025, the programme was funded by Sussex Community Foundation.
Over 20 organisations were direct beneficiaries of this programme through their participation in two specialised workshops covering topics such as organisational management, community development and funding strategies.
Moreover, two selected organisations received six hours each of one-to-one leadership and management coaching over this time period.
DRI collaborates with partners at important events
The DRI team has had a busy few months, with invitations to present and collaborate at several events across London and the South East. Here’s a quick recap of what we’ve been up to:
- 17th of August: DRI’s Director, Mebrak Ghebreweldi, gave a talk at the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom annual fundraising Garden Party about her experience as a Freedom Fighter from Eritrea.
The event took place on the 17th of August at Baroness Joyce Gould’s house, where participants gathered to discuss the role of women in global peacebuilding.
“Eritrean women fought for freedom because they had to; it was the last option for them. But if women can pick up a gun and fight, it means that, in solidarity, they can also fight for global peace. We are half of the global humanity, and we should make our voice heard to those who are leading the world to war”.
- 7th of October: Our Communications Officer, Amanda Silva, presented at the Active Eastbourne and Lewes Partnership Meeting. This time, Amanda showcased the results of our Stronger for Life programme, which was funded by Active Sussex and consisted of free yoga classes for ethnically diverse women over 60 years old in Eastbourne.
- 21st of October: Our Projects and Services Coordinator, Anna Wang, presented at the Active Rother Partnership Meeting. She spoke about the barriers and facilitators to increasing physical activity among ethnic minorities.
- 23rd of October: The DRI team was invited by the Head of the Research Department, Epidemiology & Applied Clinical Research, to present our work to the Division of Psychiatry at University College London (UCL).
DRI’s Co-Founder and Director, Mebrak Ghebreweldi, along with Services and Projects Manager, Tacye Turner, shared the outcomes of several relevant projects. These included our Eco-systemic Walking Therapy sessions, peer support groups for unpaid carers, community research, and the Friendship Bench pilot research project (you can read more about each of these projects below).
Social Media Essentials Training with the BMECP
On the 27th of August, DRI’s Communications Officer, Amanda Silva, delivered a training session on Social Media Essentials for Small Businesses and Community Organisations.
This training was commissioned by the Black and Minority Ethnic Community Partnership (BMECP) and welcomed a small group of participants in Crawley.
Participants appreciated the information shared in regards to “creating engaging posts on social media” and the explanation of the “different uses for different platforms”, considering age, engagement, and target audiences.
Drafting a Constitution and Deciding a Legal Status Training
On the 15th of September, DRI’s Projects and Services Manager, Tacye Turner, delivered a workshop for community groups and non-profit organisations focused on understanding the purpose of a constitution, comparing legal structures for UK non-profits, and helping participants figure out the next practical steps to formalise their organisations.
The workshop included practical, hands-on activities, such as practising the drafting process of constitutions and matching example scenarios with appropriate legal structures based on the pros and cons of each. Also, the session featured dedicated time for individual questions, which attendees explored and discussed with Tacye, bringing a strong element of peer support and knowledge-sharing to the workshop.
The DRI team receives funding from the Lloyds Bank Foundation
The Lloyds Bank Association is supporting 128 organisations through its Racial Equity Programme… and DRI is one of them!
We are incredibly honoured to have been selected, and equally proud of our team for their resilience, hard work, and dedication in achieving this goal.
This programme is designed for small charities and CICs led by — and working with — people who experience economic inequity linked to race or ethnicity. The funding will support DRI’s capacity building, strengthen our internal systems, and invest in team development.
Through this opportunity, DRI staff will gain access to valuable resources that will help us grow, learn, and perform even more effectively. Our whole team is excited about the journey ahead, and remains committed to giving their very best over the next three years (and beyond) to support ethnically diverse communities in the UK.
Thank you to everyone who continues to support us, as well as those who take part in our activities and events. Everything we do, we do for you, and it shows!
Changes in DRI's Leadership
At the end of August 2025, Dr Patrick Nyikavaranda stepped down from his role as Managing Director of DRI.
We are grateful for the dedication and expertise he brought to the organisation, especially his recent collaborations in the Friendship Bench, the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF) and his continuous participation in activities related to mental health, research and health inequalities.
We wish Dr Patrick every success in his career. At DRI, we remain committed to upholding the values he shares with us and to building on the strong foundations he helped to strengthen.
To carry forward DRI’s important work, we welcomed Barbara Harris, former Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust, as our newest Director.
We feel very fortunate that Barbara is joining the team, and we look forward to learning from her wealth of experience.
"I hope that the skills I have learnt along the way will be beneficial to supporting the work of Diversity Resource International"
Carers Support Groups Facilitators were recognised at the ESPIC Annual Care Awards 2025
Since 2021, we’ve been working alongside Care for the Carers to create and sustain peer support groups for unpaid carers from ethnically minoritised backgrounds across East Sussex. We’re proud to now have seven groups running in five locations: St Leonards-on-Sea, Eastbourne, Peacehaven, Seaford, and Uckfield.
Last month, two of our nominated facilitators were recognised at the Brighton and East Sussex Partners in Care Annual Awards in the category of Outstanding Unpaid Contribution to Social Care: Chi Ling Chan (shortlisted) and Manal Ahmed (winner).
Chi Ling has been an unpaid carer for her husband since his lymphoma diagnosis in 2017. She brings a beautiful blend of empathy, cultural awareness, and quiet leadership to her roles, both as a carer and a community facilitator.
Meanwhile, as a mother of a neurodivergent child, Manal has turned her personal experience into a source of empowerment for others. Her groups have helped women feel more confident, less isolated, and more connected to their community.
We are incredibly proud, honoured, and grateful to work with these two inspiring women, who continue to go above and beyond for the people they support.
DRI was shortlisted for the Sussex Sport and Physical Activity Awards
Active Sussex’s prestigious Sport & Physical Activity Awards will take place at the Sussex County Cricket Club on the 27th November. The awards celebrate “the individuals, clubs and organisations making a real difference through sport and physical activity across the county.”
We are very happy to share that DRI has been shortlisted in the Inclusion and Diversity category, which recognises organisations working to address the barriers faced by marginalised communities in accessing sport and physical activity across the county.
We were both excited and humbled to receive this nomination. We continue to be committed to creating spaces where community members — regardless of background, language, or physical ability — can enjoy being active, build confidence, and improve their wellbeing.
Congratulations to all fellow nominees! You have each worked incredibly hard to reach this stage, and your teams should feel very proud.
Quarterly Spotlight
Engaging in Mental Health Research through Storytelling: The Lived Experience of Older Migrant Chinese Women in East Sussex
Written by Chi Ling Chan, Community Researcher, Interpreter and Bilingual Advocate
Over two decades of working with Chinese communities in Sussex, I have come across multiple stories of hardships faced by older women as they worked towards building a life and community in the UK. They continue to face intersectional vulnerabilities, such as language barriers, ageing, and isolation, which affect their mental health and access to local services. I have been keen to amplify their stories for the local authorities to take note and address these issues.
With my work expressly aimed to create such an impact, I was delighted to come across the REN Mental Health project opportunity through Diversity Resource International (DRI). I envisioned the project as an urgent intervention to raise awareness about the intersectional barriers faced by these women by holding space for them to share experiences and for the project to boost their participation in mental health initiatives and research.
I felt particularly supported by Mudasir Amin, Tacye Turner, Patrick Nyikavaranda and Anna Wang at DRI to apply and lead and design this project. I led two storytelling workshops that offered a culturally safe environment for ten women to share experiences in their native language. I collected powerful testimonies of the women’s lived experiences of migration and struggles with mental health issues as they built their lives here.
Despite having lived in the UK for decades, the women still face multiple, intersectional barriers which impact their well-being. Yet, they endure! The workshops culminated in a documentary film, which is not only an account of their struggles but also speaks to their resilience and strength.
I am deeply aware that such meaningful, impact-driven opportunities do not come often, and I was glad to be selected to design and lead the project with the support of the DRI team.
I was also able to present the findings of the project to a large audience comprising of representatives from local authorities, academics and students in Sussex Health and Care Research Conference in October 2025 held at the University of Sussex. This was an important avenue to amplify the women’s voices and seek transformative change.
This project was not about me, even as it carries my voice as a community researcher who led it. I am grateful to the women for sharing their stories and see my role as bearing witness to their struggles and amplifying their voices.
This piece was edited by Mudasir Amin, Research Fellow at Diversity Resource International (DRI)
Drawing the chaos, the pain, and the hope
Written by Amanda Silva, Communications Officer at Diversity Resource International (DRI)
A few months ago, I met Sharmin Kaniz at DRI’s first Stroke Awareness Workshop, held in partnership with the Stroke Association in Crawley on the 14th of July, 2025. During the event, I was so captivated by the powerful stories being shared by participants that I didn’t notice Sharmin, quietly sitting among the crowd, sketching lines in a small notebook.
It took me by surprise when one of my colleagues showed me a photo of the drawing Sharmin had created during the event. She had managed to capture the chaos, the pain, and the hope that we had experienced throughout the discussions during the event.
When I asked Sharmin about her creative process and what she tends to notice first at an event, she didn’t hesitate: “The people,” she said with a smile.
“I find human beings fascinating. I find them inspiring, contagious, and beautiful,” she added.
She described her father as the main influence behind her love for art. “Given the heritage I come from, and especially being a girl, having a Bangladeshi father who is so extremely supportive is extremely rare,” she explained.
We were lucky enough to welcome Sharmin again for our second Stroke Awareness workshop in Eastbourne on the 3rd of November. This time, she brought a larger sketchbook and charcoal, settling herself in a spot where she had a good view of all attendees.
Sharmin’s grandmother passed away from the effects of a stroke a few years ago in Bangladesh, and being so far away from her was one of the hardest parts for Sharmin.
“When you’re speaking with someone who has had a stroke and half of their body is numb, their speech is different, and you’re able to hear and feel that their speech is different. It’s a challenging experience to go through with someone so close to you,” she said. “I think about her every single day.”
When we first began planning the workshops with the Stroke Association, I couldn’t have imagined how the stories of attendees would shape the events themselves. “It needs to be talked about. It needs to be discussed. It’s vital that it’s happening, and that it continues to happen,” Sharmin said, reflecting on the workshops.
For people whose first language is not English, it can be incredibly difficult to access this kind of information in the UK. Sharmin’s art has shown us that communication isn’t limited to words; it lives in gestures, emotions, and shared humanity. As I reflect on these workshops, I’m reminded that every story shared is another reason to remain committed to breaking barriers in healthcare through community support.
“Creativity is not mine to keep, is mine to share”
Local News
Eastbourne Borough Council Consultation
Eastbourne Borough Council is inviting local people and organisations to have their say on how communities are represented following the reorganisation of the local government.
Currently, there are no existing parish or town councils in Eastbourne. The review will consider options such as the creation of parishes and local councils, as well as examine other arrangements. To complete the survey or for more information, visit: www.lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/CGR
Offham Road (Lewes) Petition
Time is running out to sign the petition for a safe crossing on Offham Road, Lewes.
Despite being within a 40mph limit, vehicles frequently approach at higher speeds, especially when entering or exiting Lewes, at the same time that children and parents are making their way to and from school.
Children and parents are often required to cross between moving traffic, creating an ongoing risk of accidents and near-misses.
Consider signing and sharing the information with residents and workers to support this campaign so that every Lewes child has the opportunity to walk to school safely: sign here.
Training Opportunities with the BMECP
The Black and Minority Ethnic Community Partnership (BMECP) has some great training opportunities for the new year, designed to help community groups, small organisations, and leaders learn more about protecting the individuals they work with and building sustainable enterprises.
If you would like us to include events in our newsletter, please contact comms@driorg.com. We will prioritise events relevant to the community members we work with.
Get Involved
Conflict of Interest Management Workshop with Mebrak Ghebreweldi
The Conflict of Interest Management workshop, facilitated by DRI’s Director, Mebrak Ghebreweldi, focuses on helping participants recognise, disclose, and address situations where personal interests may influence professional decisions.
The workshop is online and will be held on Monday, the 8th of December, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.
Attendees will learn practical strategies to maintain transparency, uphold ethical standards, and protect organisational integrity, leaving equipped with actionable tools to manage conflicts effectively and foster trust among colleagues, clients, and stakeholders.
Support groups for people who look after someone
In partnership with Care for the Carers, we facilitate peer support groups for informal carers across five locations: Eastbourne, Uckfield, St. Leonards, Peacehaven and Seaford. Each group meets once a month for activities such as coffee chats, guest talks, and organised outings.
The Friendship Bench Pilot Project is currently under study, but you can still get involved
New Eco-systemic Walking Therapy sessions coming up next year
Over the past two years, with the support and guidance of Active Sussex, the South Downs National Park, and dedicated volunteers, we have delivered over 15 walks across Sussex, with our last two walks being held at Ditchling Beacon (11th of October) and Lewes (19th of October).
Back in June, we piloted two eco-systemic therapy walks in Stanmer Park, from which participants shared positive feedback, describing the experience as helpful and asking for a longer programme. Encouraged by this response, we applied for funding, and we are very excited to announce that Eco-Systemic Walks are here to stay!
Starting in April 2026, the Walking Roots project, in partnership with Rainbow CommUnity Projects and funded by the High Weald National Landscape, will offer a series of inclusive, women-only eco-systemic walking therapy sessions, led by qualified psychotherapists Shaila Sheikh and Chiara Santin, and supported by walking leaders across the High Weald region.
This programme is designed to support ethnically diverse women who may be experiencing isolation or migration-related stress, helping them reconnect with nature, enhance their wellbeing, and strengthen their sense of cultural belonging.
If you are based in the High Weald area, which includes some towns across Kent, Surrey, and Sussex, and would like to join the walks (or even train as a walking leader!), we would love to hear from you. Contact us at community@driorg.com (email) or 07586340592 (call, message or WhatsApp).
Volunteering Opportunities
As a DRI volunteer, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in various activities and events that celebrate diversity, promote understanding, and empower minoritised communities. Some of our available roles include:
- Event Volunteer: We are constantly seeking volunteers to support us with the
logistics of our events. - Administration Volunteer: If you’re interested in the coordination of DRI’s
projects and supporting our behind-the-scenes tasks, this role is for you! - Marketing Volunteer: volunteers will support with social media management,
print, designing and email marketing.
Resources
- Eastbourne Cultural Involvement Group Minutes: Find out more about what we discussed in our last ECIG meeting.
- Join our Carers Support Groups: Do you think you or someone you know could benefit from our peer support groups for unpaid carers?
- Register your interest for the Friendship Bench: would you like to receive preventative mental health support or train as a lay mental health worker?
- Subscribe to our mailing list: Receive monthly updates about the projects we are working on and events you can engage with.
Our Team
Mebrak Ghebreweldi
Founder, Director and Facilitator
Dr Yaa Asare
Founder, Director and Facilitator
Barbara Harris
Director
Tacye Turner
Projects and Services Manager
Aabha
Community Research and Impact Lead
Dr Mudasir Amin
Research Coordinator
Anna Wang
Projects and Services Coordinator
Amanda Silva
Communications Officer
Alejandra González
Community Interpreting Course Coordinator
Aaron Clarke
Consultant and Facilitator
Special Thanks
