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Who are ESW?

What is Equality South West?

Equality South West (ESW) is England's first regional cross strand equality and diversity body. We have a small team of committed professionals, based in Taunton. ESW was set up in 2005, Equality South West is a registered charity with a Board of Trustees.ESW is an infrastructure organisation but we do provide information and events that are also useful for individuals. We also carry out a sign-posting function to other organisations. Equality South West's aim is to work with partners in the South West to tackle discrimination on the grounds of Age, Disability, Gender, Race, Religion or Belief, Sexual Orientation, and Transgender.

ESW supports dedicated regional networks for each of these seven strands, and also works with other groups for Asylum Seekers and Refugees, Migrant Workers, and Gypsies and Travellers. We aspire to support effective, dynamic equality networks capable of representing their communities and influencing equality policy in the region and nationally.

Equality South West works with the Regional Equality Networks to tackle discrimination and promote and embed equality and diversity within the work of organisations and businesses in the South West. The current emphasis is on working with and for the Voluntary and Community Sector and Social Enterprise. We are also working to develop sub-regional networks, supporting local diversity groups to work together more effectively to promote equality and challenge discrimination.

ESW seeks to ensure that cross-cutting themes between the networks are addressed, so that the networks work in partnership to ensure that all equality issues are tackled within the context of a developing Human Rights Framework Agenda. ESW's work covers policy development, best practice, awareness raising, training and research, including equality impact assessments.

How is ESW funded?

Equality South West is funded by the South West of England Regional Development Agency, and BASIS (Building and Sustaining Infrastructure Services) through BIG.

Further information

ESW produces a quarterly ESW newsletter which provides valuable information on our work as well as regional and national equalities issues. To receive copies of the newsletter or to find out more about Equality South West's Equality Networks contact us by:

• Email: info@equalitysouthwest.org.uk
• Post: Bishop Hull House, Bishops Hull, Taunton, TA1 5EP
• Phone: 01823 240260 (Please prefix with 18001 to use the typetalk relay service if you are a text phone user)