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Working with Ellesmere Children’s Centre to address the lack of follow‑up action on the Race Equality Commission Report
Sheffield Race Equality Assembly – Saturday 21st March 2026
On 21st March, residents, community leaders, researchers and national voices will gather at Ellesmere Children’s Centre for a city-wide Race Equality Assembly — a space for truth, accountability and community-led action.
This Assembly comes four years after the Sheffield Race Equality Commission published its findings and recommendations, setting out a clear pathway to tackle racial inequality across Sheffield’s institutions and services.
Yet many residents continue to ask a simple question:
What has actually changed?
Across health, housing, education, employment and policing, significant inequalities still shape everyday life for many Black and minoritised communities. While organisations have published commitments and reports, progress has often felt slow, uneven and difficult for communities to see or measure.
This Assembly is being convened to change that.
Keynote Speakers
We are honoured to be joined by leading national and local voices in race equality:
· Kevin Hylton
· David Weaver
· Diana Crouch OBE
· Lee Jasper
Their contributions will help frame the national context, reflect on progress since the Commission, and challenge us to think boldly about what comes next
A Space for Truth, Culture and Community
This will be a grounded, welcoming gathering shaped by community, culture and creativity.
To honour our diverse traditions and the spirit of unity, the Assembly will include:
- A full cultural dinner for all attendees
- Music to hold and open the space
- Art and visual storytelling to ground the conversation
We are creating a space where people feel seen, nourished, respected and ready to speak honestly.
A Deliberative, Community-Led Approach
The Assembly will focus on four core themes explored through structured small-group conversations using a deliberative approach. This method ensures every voice is heard, moves beyond surface discussion, and helps the room work toward shared priorities and practical action.
- Health inequalities
- Housing and neighbourhood conditions
- Education, opportunity and economic inclusion
- Policing and criminal justice
Across the evening, conversations will unfold through three key question rounds:
Round 1 – Experience & Diagnosis
Where have promises fallen short, and what has the impact been?
Participants will reflect on lived experience and assess where progress since the Commission’s recommendations has not translated into meaningful change.
Round 2 – What Needs to Change?
What principles, practices and structures should a renewed race-equality model include?
Groups will identify what must be different — in leadership, accountability, partnership and delivery.
Round 3 – Action & Alliances
What practical actions and alliances are needed over the next 3–18 months?
Participants will define clear priorities, potential partnerships and next steps to ensure progress is visible and measurable.
Deepening Democracy & Strengthening Accountability
The Assembly is built on a simple principle:
Democracy works best when communities have a direct voice in shaping the decisions that affect their lives.
Rather than another closed policy discussion, this Assembly places lived experience at the centre and creates a pathway from reflection to collective action.
Listening, Not Performing
Local election candidates will be invited to attend — not to deliver speeches, but to deeply listen to community voices and experiences.
This Assembly is about our agenda and our collective vision for a fairer Sheffield.
Why Your Voice Matters
Sheffield is at a crossroads.
This is our moment to reflect honestly, speak boldly and help shape the next chapter of race equality work in our city.
Whether you are a resident, activist, practitioner, researcher, artist, young person or elder — your insight and leadership are essential.
Spaces are limited — please register Early: Sheffield People's Assembly: Race, Unity and Transformation Tickets, Saturday, Mar 21 from 1 pm to 5 pm | Eventbrite
Join us as we work toward a more united, accountable and transformed Sheffield.
Your voice matters. Your experience matters.Together, we can shape the future.
