Creating connections - the power of mentoring

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

At BAME in Property, we know and understand the importance of mentoring, of creating connections, and having that guidance as you navigate the challenges and opportunities throughout your career. There’s no doubt that at some point in our lives, we all need that little extra help. A mentor can help pin down your career aspirations, increase your promotional prospects and open doors to networking opportunities.

But mentoring is more than just a one-way relationship. Mentoring gives a sense of purpose to both parties; it’s an exchange of skills and cultures across different demographics and even generations.

We’re passionate about delivering equality of opportunity and supporting more diversity in our great industry. That’s why we’ve partnered with Mount Anvil on their Makers & Mentors programme, which is supported by the Mayor of London, to help people make connections and grow skills across the full breadth of the built environment sector.

Networking at Mount Anvil and BAME in Property’s mentoring event.

What is mentoring?

Mentoring is transformational. It’s a collaborative relationship between two people with the goal of professional and personal development. It’s focused more on support, advice and guidance as part of a long-term partnership.

When a quality conversation happens between two parties in a mentoring relationship, the result is problem-solving, skill development or network enhancement, all things that advance careers and improve lives.

The key to success

There is no one model to follow with regards to mentoring. Each mentoring relationship is different and it’s important you find a model that works for you, alongside a regular timeframe to meet and catch-up. Squeeze the lemon, you get out what you put in! So, embrace the relationship because it really can help you, change you and give a sense of purpose.

The benefits of implementing a mentoring programme

Employees who received mentoring were promoted five times more often than those who didn’t have mentors (Source: Sun Microsystems). Through increased confidence and skills, no doubt, mentees become better at leveraging the many challenges that can crop up in the workplace.

However, while it’s often assumed that the mentee is the principal beneficiary of the mentoring relationship, there are huge advantages for mentors too. According to MentorCloud, over two thirds (69%) of mentors found that mentoring gave them a strong sense of purpose for helping others grow. Mentoring is therefore a great way of building key listening and coaching skills for everyone, in addition to leadership qualities among employees, including better interpersonal and communication skills.

Furthermore, there is inevitably an element of ‘reverse mentoring’ that takes place in a mentoring relationship, where both parties commit to openness and curiosity, to learn more about themselves and the world around them. For those being mentored, it’s a reminder that everyone has life experiences and skills that are significant.

It goes without saying that the virtuous circle continues. MentorCloud also found that 89% of those who have been mentored go on to mentor others. Those who’ve benefitted from a mentor know how important it is to pass it on.

From left to right: Darragh Hurley, MD of Mount Anvil, Sarah Hayford, Founder and CEO of The Land Collective CIC, Fiona Fletcher-Smith, Chief Executive of L&Q and Priya Aggarwal Shah, Founder and Director of BAME in Property at Mount Anvil and BAME in Property’s mentoring event.

Creating Connections mentoring event

For this event we partnered with Mount Anvil and their Makers & Mentors programme, which is backed by the Mayor of London, to bring our networks together, create connections, and ultimately, help people find their perfect mentoring match.

The event, held on 23 November 2022 at Mount Anvil’s Living Room space in their Barbican office, saw Priya Aggarwal Shah, Founder and Director of BAME in Property, Fiona Fletcher-Smith, Chief Executive of L&Q, Sarah Hayford, Founder and CEO of The Land Collective CIC and Darragh Hurley, MD of Mount Anvil, share their words of wisdom about mentoring.

As Sarah Hayford said, “Trying to be something you’re not, doesn’t pay dividends in the long run.”  

For Fiona, the importance of “being unashamedly myself” was important and paved the way for her success across the industry.

Meanwhile, Darragh summed it up to a tee, “problems aren’t solved from the consciousness that created them – we need cognitive diversity in order to thrive.”

The mentees in the audience loved the encouragement to stand out, come out of their comfort zone and really see how mentoring can help someone achieve incredible things. No doubt, we are all surrounded by indirect mentors, it only takes some encouragement from one person to help change your mindset and nurture a sense of belief.

The rest of the evening saw people networking and exchanging details before we reconvened to celebrate two years of Mount Anvil’s Makers & Mentors programme with birthday cake.

We obviously thought the evening was fantastic (!) but the true testament was from our attendees who shared how useful they found the networking and the opportunity to speak to people outside of their usual circles. A few people even found their mentoring match! Over the last couple of months, we’ve been following up with our networks to see if they’ve found more mentoring matches and supporting people with their programmes through Makers & Mentors.

Get involved with the Makers & Mentors programme

If you’ve made it this far (thank you!) and are interested in getting involved with the Makers and Mentors programme, please get in touch with us on hello@bameinproperty.com or visit https://mountanvil.com/makers-mentors/mentoring/.

“Everyone has life skills and experience to share as a mentor. One word, one hour can be all that’s needed to effect a positive change in someone.” – Chelsea Baker

Five years of BAME in Property – the personal, professional and industry journey

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

Sometimes we focus too much on chasing the next achievement that we forget to pause, reflect and be grateful for the milestones achieved. This week I mark five years of BAME in Property, an organisation I founded and now run full-time, and I’m taking a moment to celebrate this achievement and the journey that got me to this stage. The last five years haven’t just been about personal and professional growth, but it’s given me an opportunity to reflect on how the industry has made progress on ethnic diversity too.

Priya Aggarwal-Shah

Setting up BAME in Property as a networking group

I started BAME in Property in late 2017 out of a frustration of seeing little diversity at events, panels and in my project teams. Being quite junior in my career as a stakeholder engagement consultant, I was keen to network and build those all-important connections. But going to networking events was daunting. The lack of diversity was one thing, but most of these events were centred around alcohol, which wasn’t always my cup of tea. My day-to-day work involved engaging with diverse communities, but how could we understand their housing needs if we didn’t represent their lived experiences and cultural sensitivities in our project teams? Even on the client side, the lack of diversity was apparent when I got called an ‘Indian Princess’ by someone I worked with. Even if it was supposed to be banter, it was still inappropriate.

There came the idea to create a networking group for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) professionals. Inspired by the success of Charlotte Morphet’s Women in Planning network, I set up BAME in Property to create a safe space for BAME and non-BAME professionals to come together, network, socialise and share their concerns. I’m grateful there was interest from colleagues across the industry who offered support in the early years and beyond – thank you Bhavini Shah, Amrit Singh Bahia, CJ Obi, Zara Din, Abraham Laker and many others for being my sounding boards.

The first couple of years

Following a successful launch event in March 2018, BAME in Property gained traction. There was clearly a gap in the property and real estate market for a group like this and the sponsored events rolled in. We had BECG, K&L Gates, Knight Frank, Cushman & Wakefield and LandSec sponsor major events throughout 2018 and 2019, helping to bring together BAME and non-BAME professionals in the industry together and start the necessary conversation about ethnic minorities often facing challenges in their careers.

“The events were great, but I always wonder what lasting effect they had. Many people still shied away from having the difficult conversations about race, microaggressions and discrimination."

As the face of BAME in Property, the first two years were incredibly busy. I was speaking on a panel event nearly every month, primarily running the social media platforms for the organisation, replying to emails from interested people, and looking for the next sponsor, all while having a full-time job! The advocacy work happened during lunchtimes, evenings and weekends but being in my mid-20s, and hungry to build this organisation, I probably wouldn’t have had it any other way. I was really inspired by all the people I met and all the stories I heard. In establishing a networking group, I built my own network too and met numerous people who opened doors for me.

Dodging the necessary conversations

The events were great, but I always wonder what lasting effect they had. Many people still shied away from having the difficult conversations about race, microaggressions and discrimination. I even met people who couldn’t say ‘Black’ to identify or describe someone who was clearly Black. But how could you have a meaningful conversation without candidly talking about these issues. It wasn’t a lack of desire to effect change, it was lack of understanding and fear of saying the wrong thing; being culturally insensitive. However, it was important to continue the conversation beyond events and establish a community where people could lean on their peers and seek advice and guidance.

COVID-19

Just as we were about to launch in Birmingham in Spring 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and all in-person events came to a standstill. Having dabbled into online events in the early days of lockdown, I quickly abandoned these, as having our work and social lives online became all too much. Instead, I focused on developing a community online through social media. I ramped up content, blogs and posts across all social channels, resulting in over 374,000 impressions in the first 100 days of lockdown.

But with regards to employee progression, things just slowed down. People got furloughed, promotions went on hold, and we often lost visibility and connections with our colleagues. Not having networking events was challenging because no doubt many people lost out on key opportunities and confidence building, that could have enhanced their careers.

I think that some of the progress we made with promoting diversity in our industry prior to the pandemic somewhat stalled during the lockdown periods.

Black Lives Matter

Then in May/June 2020 we had the tragic murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement taking over our screens. What could have been a watershed moment for the industry ended up being rather tokenistic. Many companies put out a black square and statements on social media, without engaging with their Black colleagues for input. More importantly, many companies didn’t check in with their Black colleagues to see how they were doing through this challenging time.

“What could have been a watershed moment for the industry ended up being rather tokenistic."

Admittedly, a lot of companies simply didn’t know what to do. The BAME in Property inbox was inundated with emails from companies asking for help and guidance on how to respond and do better. That’s when I started offering workshops and lunch and learns about ethnic diversity in the built environment.

Commercialising BAME in Property

“I never started my career with the idea of running an EDI company, I kind of just fell into it."

In the midst of the pandemic and the online growth in followers and requests for support, I saw my opportunity to expand BAME in Property’s services and evolve it into a company. In starting this as an extra-circular activity, I quickly realised a growing passion and interest in EDI issues and wanting to make some positive changes. Using my background and skills in comms and PR, I was able to create engaging content, host events, and build an organic social media following of 10,000+. I started small, I launched a Jobs Board, initially asking a few companies how I could operate this to benefit them – the response was a ’hosting platform’, as they wanted potential candidates to end up on their website. So, I did this, and the demand increased. The Jobs Board, alongside the workshops and lunch and learns, was the beginning of BAME in Property Ltd. I never started my career with the idea of running an EDI company, I kind of just fell into it.

Juggling the full-time job, the side job, and my personal life

“I will always look back at 2021 as a year of personal achievements."

The energy I had in my mid-20s to run a side ‘hustle’ alongside a full-time job was starting to chip away. As I progressed in my comms career, naturally my workload and responsibilities increased. 2021 was also the year I was buying a house and getting married, all during COVID-19 lockdowns. To say it was quite stressful was an understatement. I started finding I couldn’t commit as much time to BAME in Property as I would have liked and the resentment towards my main job and my side passion was real. I persevered though and will always look back at 2021 as a year of personal achievements.

Making the side hustle the main hustle

Despite my time being stretched, the need for EDI in the built environment has remained. With no wedding to plan in 2022(!), I could redirect my focus and time to growing BAME in Property Ltd. I spent some of my spare time doing courses on diversity and inclusion on Future Learn. The passion had been ignited again; I just didn’t have the courage to leave my full-time job yet.

“As scary as it was to do this, it was my ‘now or never’ moment to see what I could achieve with this organisation."

A string of conversations inspired me to take that big step. Many people I met already thought I was running BAME in Property full-time, while others kept saying "it’s only a matter of time before you do!”.

Having started commercialising BAME in Property two years ago, in summer 2022, I was finally in a position financially and mentally to take the leap. As scary as it was to do this, it was my ‘now or never’ moment to see what I could achieve with this organisation.

Looking ahead

Now, two months into running BAME in Property full-time, I am truly encouraged and grateful for the support I have received. My clients, previous and current, include the likes of Mount Anvil, Thirteen Housing Group, NLA, Turley, Pocket Living, Forsters LLP, and Trident Building Consultancy, with many others using BAME in Property’s Jobs Board.

Looking ahead, a potential name change is on the cards. When we started five years ago, ‘BAME’ was the known term, but times have changed and even I have disclaimers about the term.

“The last five years have been a journey, I’m excited for the next five."

Utilising my comms background, I will continue to grow BAME in Property online, through engaging content, social media and events. The area that I’m particularly interested in is culturally sensitive community engagement, especially in light of the 2021 Census data. This is a huge growth area and something I have always enjoyed, so watch this space. More about this here.

I love what I do, helping companies in this space, and making a difference.

The last five years have been a journey, I’m excited for the next five.

The 2021 Census data and what it means for the built environment

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

Throughout November, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has been releasing data from the 2021 Census. Although early doors with more data to come, the initial results are not surprising when it comes to ethnic minority communities and their growth over the last 10 years. We are living in a UK which is more racially, ethnically, religiously and culturally diverse than it was in 2011 and this has huge implications for built environment practitioners. It’s not enough to have ethnic diversity as an afterthought in your company organisation and outputs, it must be completely integral to your company policies, your work and how you operate. In this piece, we share some of the key findings regarding minority communities, the impact this will have on the built environment and how BAME in Property can help you.

Key findings from the 2021 Census

• One in six people living in England and Wales were born outside of the UK, an increase of 2.5 million since 2011, from 7.5 million to 10 million. Of these, 4.2 million had arrived since 2011, 2.7 million between 2001 and 2010, and 3.1 million before 2001.

• India remained the most common country of birth outside of the UK in 2021 (920,000 people - 1.5% of all residents), followed by Poland (743,000 people - 1.2%) and Pakistan (624,000 - 1.0%).

• 59.1% of the people of Leicester are now from ethnic minority groups, a major change since 1991, when black and minority ethnic people made up just over a quarter of the city’s residents. Leicester’s Asian population first became well established after 20,000 people settled in the east Midlands manufacturing city after expulsion from Uganda in 1972.

• Minority ethnic people also make up more than half the population in Luton (54.8%) and Birmingham (51.4%), the UK’s second largest city where 20 years ago seven out of 10 people were white. Since the second world war, Birmingham’s population has grown with immigration from the Caribbean and south Asia, as well as Gujaratis who had been in east Africa.

• The census revealed a 5.5 million drop in the number of Christians and a 44% rise in the number of people following Islam. It is the first time in a census of England and Wales that less than half of the population have described themselves as “Christian”.

So, what does this mean for the built environment?

No doubt, there is a huge role for planning and engagement professionals to tackle racial inequalities and differences in housing and living arrangements across ethnic communities. This could be better consideration to design needs, layouts, as well as thinking about language translation and engagement with community and ethnic minority leaders. Gone are the days of town hall or even online exhibitions, it's time to think more creatively and inclusively.

“Current retirement living housing doesn't always suit ethnic minority communities. Sometimes there are no vegetarian or Halal kitchens, or carers who speak the native language. Most are located by churches but not temples or mosques."

Different cultures and communities live in different ways. In many regions in Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe, multigenerational living is the norm. But our new builds are usually smaller (and more expensive), hardly accommodating larger families. Additionally, most new homes have open plan kitchens, but in many cultures, there is a preference to separate the kitchen from the living area, to reduce cooking odours spreading. These aren’t just cultural differences but a different way of living that can’t be ignored.

Planning and engagement consultants will need to start incorporating design workshops into their programmes, to really understand design specifics and preferences, which can enhance developments, bring communities on board, and in due course, result in better housing.

Finally, current retirement living housing doesn't always suit ethnic minority communities. Sometimes there are no vegetarian or Halal kitchens, or carers who speak the native language. Most are located by churches but not temples or mosques. Whilst multigenerational housing is common amongst some communities, with smaller housing and more assimilation to Western norms, living arrangements in South Asian communities are changing. But cultural differences will need to be reflected in retirement living complexes to ensure they are meeting different communities’ needs.

Ultimately, this all comes down to the housing allocation in Local Plans, which will likely need a rethink to ensure we are serving diverse communities better.

“You can only implement inclusive designs if you have diverse teams and embrace inclusivity in your organisations."

How can BAME in Property support you

There are many organisations out there who are already implementing better planning and engagement strategies. But, if this data feels a little overwhelming, we at BAME in Property are here to help. Here’s how:

• Want to know more about the challenges and inequalities facing ethnic minority communities with housing and how to engage better with them? We hold a workshop on this very topic and have delivered it to Homes England, Pocket Living, Thirteen Housing Group, The Planning Inspectorate, and to students at UCL, Birmingham and Hertfordshire, to name a few.

• We help organisations reach different audiences through sensitive approaches, which consider ethnic and cultural differences. This could be liaison through a community or religious leader to help understand nuances within a group and to build that all-important trust or reaching out to hyperlocal publications and radio stations to ensure key messages are reaching the communities that need to hear them. We’re passionate about communities having their say, resulting in better relationships with developers. We’re currently working with Thirteen Housing Group on design workshops with the Indian and Pakistani communities in Kirklees, to ensure their housing their needs and culture are incorporated into the plans.

• You can only implement inclusive designs if you have diverse teams and embrace inclusivity in your organisations. If we can support you with EDI challenges or help you advertise roles to some different and ethnically diverse audiences, please get in touch.

Email Priya.shah@bameinproperty.com to chat to us about how we can support you. More information on our Services page here.

Do you speak 'town planning'?

This week we have Mahsa Khaneghah, Head of Planning and Sustainability at Platinum Property Partners, share the importance of language when communicating about the built environment sector to the next generation. Also known as ‘Urbanist on a mission’ on Instagram, Mahsa uses her platform to educate others about town planning in an interesting way, helping to break down the jargon, commonly used in the sector.

It’s time to move away from ‘bricks and mortar’ and treat urban planning as the holistic area that it is – from climate change to health inequalities, Mahsa is on a mission to change perceptions about town planning, one Instagram post at a time.

I’ve always been so excited by place. ‘Where am I?’, ‘What is this?’, ‘Why is it here?’, ‘Who is it for?’. The benefits and negative consequences of planning outcomes are enormously impactful on our lives, economies, planet and culture; yet for the average person the influence of the planning system can be completely undetected.

Growing up multilingual, Urban Planning for me was like finding a language I could communicate the importance of interconnected thinking for place-shaping. Section 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework begins ‘the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development’ — what a powerful and important statement. So, in theory, the planning system is oriented to achieve balanced spaces, places and communities – but is that how it’s perceived?

“I’ve frankly never met anyone outside of the industry who naturally associates town planning with climate change action or addressing inequality."

Throughout my career I have often had to explain what it is that I do as a Chartered Town Planner and how the planning process works (usually beginning ‘Have you ever played Sims…?’). For those that have encountered planning, a wave of frustration usually bubbles to the surface; and I’ve frankly never met anyone outside of the industry who naturally associates town planning with climate change action or addressing inequality.

Our health is determined by air-quality control and mitigation; the schools and jobs we apply for are influenced by how accessible they are; our moods and ecosystems are impacted by the amount of nature we are exposed to; the colours, shapes and scale of our buildings tell the story of who we were for generations to come; and don’t even get me started on housing quality and delivery! Despite this, the planning process remains enigmatic and unwelcoming to the masses. This highly technical and political space can appear exclusive, be too costly or time-intensive- and that’s for those who are in the position to entertain seeking planning permission to begin with!

In response, I started my Instagram @urbanistonamission over three years ago with the post below:

‘Alexandra Park and Palace in North London is a great example of culture and nature coming together with amazing views of the city! Alexandra Palace station keeps in theme with bicycle storage, recycling bins and lots of green plants and art 💪🏽. This makes for a perfect day out in London, and offers an example of how we can create an emotional connectedness to nature for more sustainable development in overground stations and cultural sites 🏙🌳💚 This is a critical asset for connecting Haringey’s diverse dwellers to the natural environment, where in 2011 over 65% of the population was non-White British! GO PLAY☀️’

Mahsa’s Instagram page, @urbanistonamission

Over 150 posts later and some evolution, I’m still taking pictures and writing about how interconnected thinking across planning principles applies to us all every day.

“My hope for the planning industry is that the process becomes more concise and focused in a meaningful way so that we can all speak ‘Town Planning’."

As the Head of Planning & Sustainability of a nation-wide property franchise, Platinum Property Partners, I regularly support our network and present up and down the country about key legislative changes and sustainable development. The goal is to empower people to engage with the intricacies of planning and the reality of environmental pressures so that they can strategise accordingly.

In a similar vein, @urbanistonamission is about reminding people that sustainable urban development is about everything and everyone. My hope for the planning industry is that the process becomes more concise and focused in a meaningful way so that we can all speak ‘Town Planning’. The push towards sustainable urban development needs to be understandable, achievable and ultimately support those in the industry who are passionate about making a difference – but may struggle with a ‘Town Planning’ language barrier.

Islamophobia Awareness Month – how you can make a difference

Islamophobia Awareness Month (IAM) occurs in November and is a campaign founded in 2012 by a group of Muslim organisations. It aims to showcase the positive contributions of Muslims as well as raise awareness of Islamophobia in society. This year, as we mark 10 years of IAM, the theme is #TacklingDenial. The denial of Islamophobia can be seen in many forms in both political and social spaces. Why is tackling denial important? Because if you allow people to deny the very existence of Islamophobia, how can we begin to have a sensible conversation about it and therefore tackle this problem? Denial simply shuts down this conversation.

In this blog, we discuss the many types of Islamophobic behaviours which can occur within the workplace and how you can take a stand to make your Muslim colleagues feel more included and comfortable.

To begin, it’s so important we define Islamophobia:

“Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” - APPG on British Muslims

There are many types of Islamophobia, such as verbal and physical attacks, which are frequently reported in the media. But this is only the tip of the iceberg, and the majority of Islamophobic traits are less visible, such as discrimination, stereotypes, exclusion and marginalisation, often issues which can occur in the workplace.

Research by MEND (Muslim Engagement and Development), a charity that seeks to tackle Islamophobia in the UK, found that those who appear visibly Muslim, such as women who wear the hijab or niqab, are likely to be targeted with both overt and covert forms of Islamophobia.

Often, we don’t realise the hidden forms of Islamophobia that takes place in the working environment. Here’s some examples:

• Making assumptions about religious festivals, such as Ramadan and Muslim’s who are fasting, not fasting and choosing not to fast.

• Refusing flexible working and annual leave requests during religious festivals.

• Not providing a safe space for prayer but then asking for workers to return to the office.

• Treating someone differently and discriminatory because they wear a headscarf or niqab.

• Only holding drinking socials and thereby indirectly excluding some Muslim colleagues from taking part, who may feel uncomfortable in attending these events.

• When holding team meals, you feel that providing Halal food is an inconvenience.

While many companies have made progress in policies and events for their Muslim employees, there is a still a long way to go in ensuring a truly inclusive and Islamophobic-free workforce. An article in The Independent last year talked about the negative experiences of Muslim women in society and how they are frequently targeted and treated differently for their beliefs. One lady stated:

“I conformed, and I fitted in. I drank alcohol, I dressed the way everyone else dressed. But as soon as I put the hijab on everything changed.”

Without realising it, many people are unconsciously bias towards Muslim individuals, impacting their career progression, mental health and day-to-day interactions.

How you can make a difference

So, what can you do to ensure we are #tacklingdenial about Islamophobia and ensuring your Muslim colleagues feel welcomed and included.

• Education over ignorance. Like with most things, we truly believe in the power of education. A large part of this is learning about Islam, the festivals, the principles and how this guides someone’s appearance and values, such as not drinking alcohol. Be curious, but not ignorant. After all, you can find out anything on Google.

• Diversify your social events. Not all socials have to be centred around drinking. This not only alienates some Muslims but pretty much anyone who doesn’t drink or who feels uncomfortable around alcohol.

• Provide a quiet and private space for prayer. This is particularly important if you have a working policy swayed more towards being in the office. Ensure the prayer room is labelled clearly and isn’t changed into a meeting or other type of room at short notice.

• Respect flexible working requests. Be sure to honour and allow more flexible working during certain religious periods, such as Ramadan, where fasting patterns require more flexibility.

• Invest and act on anti-racism/Islamophobic training. Often being on the EDI journey is recognising that ‘you’ve not cracked everything’ and that there’s still a long a way to go. Accept that there may be times when uncomfortable training, such as anti-racism, may be necessary to help understand unacceptable behaviours.

We’ve discussed many of these areas before, take a look at our Ramadan blog for more specific support during Ramadan and our Inclusive actions blog about other measures to implement and create a more comfortable working environment.

According to data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), in 2018, there were nearly 3.4 million Muslims recorded in the UK, making up around five per cent of the total 67.2 million population. This is no small figure and in order to reduce Islamophobia in the UK, more work needs to be done in workplaces to include our Muslim colleagues and ensure they feel safe and comfortable.

To speak to BAME in Property about our inclusion policies, please email hello@bameinproperty.com.

Black History Month special, In conversation with Hanna Afolabi, Founder of Mood and Space

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

To mark Black History Month (BHM) 2022, Founder of BAME in Property, Priya Aggarwal-Shah caught up with Hanna Afolabi, who recently launched her new development and ESG business, Mood and Space (MAS). Prior to entering the world of entrepreneurship, Hanna enjoyed a successful career as a Development Director for Balfour Beatty Investments and at Linkcity (Bouygues Developments), focusing on the Canning Town regeneration project. She is also founder of Black Women in Real Estate and part of the Property Development Book Club. In September 2022, Hanna was named as one of EG’s Rising Stars.

A force of nature, Hanna is spreading her wings across the built environment sector. Read on to find out how she ended up with her own venture, Mood and Space.

East London through and through

Hanna was born and raised in East London; she spent her childhood years in Hackney, went to secondary school in Tower Hamlets and to college in Leyton. Following her degree in Architecture at Sheffield University, Hanna rented a property in East Village, Stratford with her sister. Through renting a Get Living property herself, Hanna sparked an interest in BTR. She described how ‘tenure blind’ worked well in this property, enabling people from different backgrounds to live together.

Nevertheless, the low availability of plantain was an issue in East Village for Hanna! She said, “when looking for a property with my husband, access to plantain, along with West African spices, peppers and culture was a key requirement,” demonstrating the importance of ethnicity and culture when looking to establish your feet somewhere.

Although East London is very diverse, Hanna explained how she felt the shops in East Village were very Western and didn’t necessarily serve the Afro-Caribbean population.

“Over time New Stratford has become increasingly gentrified, despite pre-existing residents often being from lower socio-economic backgrounds. The new neighbourhood was for new people, rather than integration with former residents.”

A varied and successful career

Hanna’s first job was in Lagos, Nigeria, where she worked as an Architectural Assistant. “One of my clients was Standard Chartered Bank and I had lots of opportunities to work on site and refurb their branches.” Although Hanna was exposed to many aspects she learnt in her Architecture degree, she wished she had the opportunity to work on sites sooner, stating “it helped to bring the classroom to life.”

While Hanna enjoyed her work in Lagos, she preferred the project management side of it more, rather than the architecture. After working in Nigeria for nearly a year, Hanna returned to the UK and worked for Peabody Housing Association as a development officer. This was her introduction to development and regeneration. At Peabody, Hanna worked on the Borough Triangle in Elephant and Castle, a project, which consisted of two 30+storey blocks and what was to be Peabody’s new head office.

Following this, she moved onto Linkcity (Bouygues), where she worked in a development management capacity. Here, Hanna worked on the Canning Town town-centre regeneration – Hallsville Quarter, involving the build of 1,000 new homes and 20,000 sqm of commercial, office and student accommodation.

Working in Canning Town was all too familiar to Hanna, having grown up and lived in several other parts of East London already. *“The area had changed so much since the time my friend lived there. It was nice to be back in East London, working on a project which was investing in the local area.”

Hanna then moved onto Balfour Beaty Investments, where she worked at for four years on the East Wick and Sweet Water project, leading on the feasibility, business planning, budget, design, programming and planning of the mixed-use regeneration project of c.1,900 homes on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

As Hanna had worked within the Olympic Park for several years, I was keen to hear her views on its legacy.

“[The Olympics] were an amazing investment for London but not much of the investment benefited local people. In the ten years prior to the Olympics, Hackney (one of the legacy boroughs) was not adequately invested in and having lived in the borough at the time, it meant poor housing. Now, ten years later, the demographic has completely changed, and I think this is because the people who made the decisions about the legacy of the Olympics were not representative of local people, they have no lived experience of those communities.”

Extra-curricular activities

During her time at Balfour Beaty Investments, Hanna set up Black Women in Real Estate in November 2019, a safe space for Black women to connect and create a supportive network across the industry.

In her bid to set this up, Hanna literally searched for Black women on LinkedIn to invite to a dinner. That’s how the first 15 members were established.

“It was nice to sit and chat with other women who understood the nuances of my experiences and career.”

Following the initial dinner, the BWRE network started meeting regularly. During the COVID-19 lockdown, the group moved to online monthly calls, which then increased to fortnightly after the George Floyd murder, as members were discussing how their companies were responding to this.

Fast-forward three years and BWRE have a few partnerships, including with Space Plus, a global industry conference provider and enabler. Through this partnership, BWRE attend their events and push for further representation at their events – not just women speaking about diversity but for their expertise too.

“We want to humanise EDI and get people to understand that people are just trying to thrive.”

BWRE recently shared their #Iamwomen campaign, highlighting Black women in the industry.

As if BWRE wasn’t enough, during lockdown, Hanna became a founding member of the Property Development Book Club. What initially started as a ‘clubhouse’ chat with 1,000+ participants, has now evolved into a podcast created by developers, proptech experts, quantity surveyors and architects. The first season of the podcast has just been released.

Launching Mood and Space

After a successful decade of working in the industry, in summer 2022, Hanna took the decision to launch Mood and Space, a new development company that supports clients in embedding social value in their development vision and strategy, as well as managing the processes to deliver community focused buildings and neighbourhoods.

“Being an ambitious person, I’ve always wanted to own or lead a company… I thought it would happen later in my life but being a woman, I had to consider how my career would sit beside having a family. This was my ‘now or never’ moment. I’ve learnt and achieved a lot and I have gained the necessary skills. The autonomy and freedom of running my own business fuels my passion.”

Hearing this, it was evident that Hanna knows what she wants. Indeed, we discussed that setting off on your own to run a business wouldn’t be possible without self-belief.

“You have to be mentally secure in yourself to be able to push forward.”

Recognising Hanna’s achievements

Hanna’s successful career and empowering extracurricular activities have not gone unnoticed. She was recognised as one of EG’s Rising Stars 2022 and was a Black British Business Awards 2022 Rising Star finalist. This year she was also listed as Bisnow’s 41 Women in UK Real Estate. Last year she was winner of the We Are the City Rising Star 2021 in Infrastructure, Transport & Logistics.

The Power of Now: How to implement inclusive policies within the workplace

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

National Inclusion Week takes place from 26 – 30th September and this year’s theme is ‘Time to Act: The Power of Now’. Often, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) policies can take a while to implement and genuinely see results. With this in mind, we’ve set out some tangible actions which can demonstrate action and results from the get-go. From diversifying social events to doing a website audit, we truly believe that small steps can make all the difference, heading in the direction of creating a more comfortable and inclusive working environment.

1. Ensure senior leaders support your EDI efforts

EDI needs to be within the roots of a company, rather than an add on – it should guide every policy within the workplace, from culture, pay, recruitment strategy and flexible working – to name a few. If senior leaders aren’t pushing for this, it’s very difficult to implement any tangible policies.

2. Rotate who runs and drives meetings

‘Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.’ Most companies run team meetings, usually led by the same person and often this one individual can dominate the agenda and conversation. One way of creating more inclusivity is to rotate who runs the meeting to enable colleagues to exert different approaches and personalities. This can lead to more ideas and ultimately more creativity. It’s also important for building confidence for those who typically don’t speak and enables them to feel more included.

"Asking for flexible working during Ramadan becomes much easier when everyone has received an e-newsletter about it."

3. Diversify your social events

When you’re planning your next social event, perhaps it’s time to do something different. Not all events need to involve alcohol, as this can isolate those who choose not to drink or don’t feel comfortable being in that environment.

And have you noticed some people consistently aren’t able to make social events due to other commitments? Think about timing of your next event, perhaps even doing it during working hours to enable everyone to take part.

4. Celebrate some different cultural and religious events

Download a festivals calendar and pick a few key events you could celebrate or highlight throughout the year. This not only raises awareness and educates colleagues, but it can often make what appear to be difficult conversations, much easier. For example, asking for flexible working during Ramadan becomes much easier when everyone has received an e-newsletter about it.

Celebrating different festivals also breaks down barriers and biases that people inherently have – it’s the start of creating an open-minded culture for the future of the company.

5. Organise a website audit to ensure it reflects diversity

‘Your vibe attracts your tribe’. If your company website is only showing one type of person, this won’t excite people from more underrepresented backgrounds to want to join. With it being the first port of call for research on a company, put your best foot forward and ensure your showing diversity in images, different levels within the organisation, voices and content from individuals across the whole company, not just the senior leadership team.

Gen Z are increasingly looking for a company’s EDI policy on the website, so have a page about this too and be honest about the journey – people like the candidness.

Sometimes it’s easier to have an external consultant critique your website than it is from within your company. Consider speaking to an organisation like BAME in Property to help you with this process.

"Just like good work is rewarded, best practice for the company should be recognised and acknowledged in annual appraisals and feedback from leaders."

6. Ask for feedback from your employees

Regularly gather feedback and share results at the team level. When company leaders are consistently open to receiving feedback—constructive and positive—the door to achieving substantive progress is opened.

7. Recognise inclusive behaviours

In many organisations, EDI policies are suggested within an internal diversity or working group. The burden of executing this shouldn’t fall on your employees, but where employers have taken an active role in internal working groups, led on a cultural event or taken time to drive an EDI policy, this should be rewarded. Just like good work is rewarded, best practice for the company should be recognised and acknowledged in annual appraisals and feedback from leaders.

These are just some of the measures you can implement immediately to start creating a more inclusive culture. Need help with any of these? Get in touch with BAME in Property to see how we can support you on your EDI journey.

BAME in Property calls for mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

Following this year’s International Equal Pay Day (18 September), we’re calling on the Government to make ethnicity pay gap reporting mandatory. While the day has traditionally focused on gender pay gap elimination, we know that in the UK, pay gaps between ethnic minorities can be high and that it’s important to acknowledge and act on these too.

However, we also recognise some of the challenges around ethnicity pay gap reporting. Taking guidance from the House of Common’s Women and Equalities Committee and our own resources, we want to support and encourage the built environment sector to consider releasing this data even without it being mandatory.

Where are we now

In February 2022, the Women and Equalities Committee, recommended that ‘reporting the ethnicity pay gap should be mandatory, and is the first step to addressing pay disparities between employees from different ethnic backgrounds.’ The Committee called on the Government to introduce legislation which would require large companies to publish their ethnicity pay gap data.

In response, the Government stated it would not be making ethnicity pay gap reporting mandatory “at this stage”, to avoid burdening workplaces during their post-pandemic recovery. Despite stating that such reporting would be an effective tool to assist employers in making a fair workplace, the Government has stated it may not be suitable for all workplaces.

In 2017, as part of the Equality Act 2010, the Government introduced mandatory reporting on the gender pay gap for all companies with more than 250 employees. The result has been companies reporting these figures annually, a national archive of data and solutions to move forward, where gaps are identified.

By comparison, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has only released official statistics on ethnicity pay gaps twice since 2019, with the last time being in 2020. Since then, we have had the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disproportionately impacted ethnic minorities, their employment status, and opportunities, and as a result, their pay. No doubt, mandatory reporting would allow us to collate data, which could be helpful in responding to such societal events.

"Many people are now calling for ethnicity pay gap reporting to become mandatory for all companies with 250+ employees... to reduce injustices between BAME and non-BAME workers."

The argument from the Women and Equalities Committee is that companies which are already reporting on gender pay gap, will have some practices in place to support with ethnicity pay gap reporting.

In recognition that the built environment industry also lags behind when it comes to ethnic diversity, Cushman & Wakefield has for the last few years, voluntarily published its mean ethnicity pay gap, with reductions in the gap from 29.4% in 2020 to 26.9% in 2021.

Many people are now calling for ethnicity pay gap reporting to become mandatory for all companies with 250+ employees, in a bid to encourage them to take tangible action to reduce injustices between BAME and non-BAME workers.

The challenges

Even though many companies will already be reporting on gender pay gap, we acknowledge one of the biggest challenges being data collection for ethnicity pay gap reporting. Many ethnic minorities are reluctant to disclose personal information about their ethnicity and religion, often fearing that this could be a hindrance in their progression within a company. Lack of or incomplete data would distort the results and its effectiveness.

"The real question we should be asking is whether a BAME person and a white person in the same client-facing role are earning the same."

You only have to take a look at the industry to see the complete lack of diversity within companies at senior levels. The perception this gives is that ethnic minorities are less likely to be considered or put forward for such positions. As a result, many people would rather keep their ethnicity to themselves to even make it beyond the recruitment screening process.

No doubt a continuous communications campaign will be necessary, explaining why the data collection is happening, what it will be used for and how it will guide future pay and policies. This complete transparency will help people be more willing to disclose their personal information.

Unlike gender pay gap reporting, which is quite binary, ethnicity pay gap reporting is far more nuanced. Within the BAME umbrella, different ethnicities do better than others. Focusing on ONS’s 2019 data, the Bangladeshi (£10.58 per hour) and Pakistani (£10.55 per hour) ethnic groups had some of the widest positive pay gaps, respectively earning 15.3% and 15.5% less than White British employees (£12.49 per hour). Those found to earn more included: White Irish by 40.5% (£17.55 per hour), Chinese by 23.1% (£15.38 per hour) and Indian by 15.5% (£14.43 per hour). As such, ethnic pay gap reporting is important for understanding the differences within the umbrella term, ‘BAME’, as well as within white counterparts.

There is also the issue of back office and client facing roles. The reality being that ethnic minorities, on balance, tend to have more back-office positions, such as in admin or finance. Companies might be able to meet an ethnicity pay gap quota through such positions. However, the real question we should be asking is whether a BAME person and a white person in the same client-facing role are earning the same.

Why it's important

The challenges should not be a reason to stop the built environment sector in tackling the ethnicity pay gap but an opportunity to be more inclusive. This is not just an issue for ethnic minorities as the ethnicity pay gap affects everyone.

"We want your talent and skills, but we don’t think you should be earning the same as your white counterparts."

It is extremely discouraging for prospective BAME professionals looking to enter an industry to see that there is a substantive ethnicity pay gap. They are already questioning their value, worth and ultimately, their place in the company. Companies could miss out on vital talent and diversity in thought, crucial for any sector to continue thriving.

Putting aside the talent argument for ethnicity pay gap reporting, at the very least, it is morally right to pay two people doing the same job, the same amount. Companies that do not are essentially classifying BAME professionals as second-class workers, suggesting ‘We want your talent and skills, but we don’t think you should be earning the same as your white counterparts.’

"Companies with greater ethnic and cultural diversity outperform their competitors by 36%... it’s not just morally right, it makes financial sense. "

Ultimately, companies will financially benefit from diverse talent. McKinsey’s Report, ‘Diversity wins: How inclusion matters’, demonstrates how companies with greater ethnic and cultural diversity outperform their competitors by 36%. The likelihood of outperformance continues to be higher for diversity in ethnicity than for gender. As such, it’s not just morally right, it makes financial sense.

Key recommendations

The Women and Equalities Committee has recommended the Government introduces mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting by April 2023 for all organisations that currently report for gender. Legislation should include the requirement for employers to publish a supporting narrative and action plan. To accompany this, the Government should produce guidance, with clear explanations on:

• data protection to reassure employers how they can legally capture, retain and report ethnicity pay gap data;
• methods for capturing, analysing and reporting ethnicity pay data; and
• the body responsible for enforcement and what powers that body will have.

At BAME in Property, encouraging the built environment sector to report on the ethnicity pay gap is a priority. We want current and future generations entering the industry to see that equal pay is a priority and that it is an inclusive industry to work in.

Our Corporate Members will be discussing this issue at a high-level, sharing ideas and best practice on how to approach this task. This is not a competitive process, as no company can whole-heartedly admit that they have eliminated the ethnicity pay gap. Rather, collaboration will be encouraged, as the whole industry needs to improve.

It won’t be an easy task, but it is necessary. We are calling on the Government to make ethnicity pay gap reporting mandatory.

Email hello@bameinproperty.com if this is something we can support you with.

Comment: Will blind CVs help diversify your company's recruitment?

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

One of the most common recruitment questions we get asked is whether companies should engage in blind hiring processes. Companies often implement a blind CV process to remove unconscious biases from recruitment managers. With the industry becoming increasingly competitive and candidates having more choice, it's important companies consider a multitude of hiring procedures. Blind CVs can result in a more diverse pool of candidates during the interview stage and ultimately, employees within the company, if hired.

However, there are some drawbacks of blind CVs, the primary one being it doesn't prevent unconscious bias once a candidate gets to the interview stage. There is also a question about whether it is morally right to remove someone's personal details.

At BAME in Property, we've considered the impact of blind CVs to help your recruitment decisions.

So, what exactly is a blind CV? It is the basis of blind hiring, and a CV that doesn't have any identifying factors. This includes things like a candidate's name, gender, age, or race. The long and short of it is that there is no information present that isn't related to the candidate's working capabilities.

A more diverse talent pool

The most obvious benefit of blind CVs is the prospect of hiring talented people, who wouldn't normally make it through the interview process. As people are inherently bias in their selection process - e.g., choosing someone based on where they live or where they schooled - removing this detail focuses the hiring manager to select someone on their abilities and competencies.

A BBC Inside Out London investigation in February 2018, found that two CVs containing the same employee and educational information but different names, Adam and Mohammed, resulted in Adam receiving 100 interviews and Mohammed only 12, suggesting an obvious bias in the recruitment process. A blind CV process in this situation could have offered Mohammed more interview opportunities.

Many companies have been implementing blind hiring processes for years, including EY, which has removed details such as name and education – opening the doors for more state-schooled candidates. The result has been more people from non-traditional backgrounds entering the firm and progressing just as well.

Thus, there are some obvious internal benefits of blind CVs. From an external perspective, it shows prospective candidates a commitment to diversity and that a company cares about eliminating discrimination, where possible.

A short-term fix, not a long-term solution

"Why should personal details, such as names or schools be removed from CVs to protect a company’s unconscious bias?"

Nevertheless, blind CVs can only go so far. There is a moral argument here that questions why should personal details, such as names or schools be removed from CVs to protect a company’s unconscious bias? When names are removed this is taking away someone’s identity, their heritage and culture. It's the most basic foundation of an individual. If a hiring manager was not going to put someone through an interview process due to their name, age or any other personal information, why should that person work for said company anyway? In fact, they probably wouldn't want to work in that environment either if these biases come to surface once an individual joins the company – unfortunately, this happens all too often when people from ethnic backgrounds are treated differently. Indeed, this can even happen during the interview process, when hiring managers come face-to-face with candidates and biases start creeping in.

"When names are removed this is taking away someone’s identity, their heritage and culture. It is the most basic foundation of an individual."

Furthermore, blind hiring can in fact do the opposite of what it seeks to achieve and rather, hinder diversity in hiring. Many employees seek out minority candidates during the hiring process to engender positive action. This is defined as taking measures to support the recruitment of underrepresented minorities. However, when recruiters do not have candidates’ information, they cannot pursue diversity.

The reality is that we all have unconscious biases, regardless of which background we are from. Naturally, we are attracted to people who look and talk like us and have similar life experiences to us. Thus, whilst we can't remove unconscious bias, we can foster a more open and inclusive culture, which appreciates and welcomes differences. This is a longer-term solution which benefits everyone, rather than creating a short-term fix that may not last once an individual has joined a company.

"blind CVs in isolation is not the solution to a better hiring process but must be in conjunction with culture training and other initiatives."

A more inclusive culture can spark better conversation during the interview process and anticipate certain questions, such as flexible working requests during religious holidays or interests outside of work.

The point being, blind CVs in isolation isn't the solution to a better hiring process but must be in conjunction with culture training and other initiatives which promote diversity.

Get in touch with us to discuss how we can help create a more open and inclusive culture within your company.

South Asian Heritage Month special – Marking 50 years of the contributions of Ugandan South Asians in the UK

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

This year marks 50 years since Ugandan Asians were expelled from Uganda. More than 27,000 Asians were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972 and thousands settled in Leicester. For this year’s #SouthAsianHeritageMonth, we celebrate the stories of resilience and tenacity of the Ugandan Asians who came to the UK in the toughest of circumstances but who overcame adversity – not just for themselves but for their community too. Partner at Montagu Evans, Bhavini Shah, explores the influence of Ugandan Indians in the UK, especially Leicester.

On 4 August 1972, Idi Amin, President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979, ordered the expulsion of Uganda’s South Asian minority, giving them 90 days to leave the country, accusing them of “sabotaging Uganda’s economy and encouraging corruption”. Although they formed the minority of the country’s population, it is important to note that official figures suggest that the Ugandan Asians contributed to circa 90% of Uganda’s tax receipts in 1972.

Estimates of the total number of Ugandan Asians expelled from Uganda varies, ranging between 55,000 and 80,000 people, with the number of people coming to the UK around 27,000. Ugandan Asians were pretty-much stripped of their assets and possessions with people even reported being held at gun point by officers before leaving the country to take valuable personal possessions.

"Though Amin took their possessions, they had not lost their skills, university degrees or network of community contacts that would see many of their businesses rise from the ashes. They helped each other to help themselves."

A BBC article from 18 September 1972 reports on the first 193 Ugandan Asians arriving into Stansted Airport that very morning. Some had made their own arrangements with family and friends whilst others were taken to an RAF camp at Stradishall in Suffolk, which was organised by the UK Ugandan Resettlement Board. The families who arrived mostly settled in already established communities in areas such as London and the East Midlands with most Ugandan Asians (around 20,000) settling in Leicester.

It is in business that Ugandan Asians have made the biggest impact because that is where most of their success in Uganda lay. They were highly educated and familiar with British customs. Though Amin took their possessions, they had not lost their skills, university degrees or network of community contacts that would see many of their businesses rise from the ashes. They helped each other to help themselves.

Arriving with nothing, they quickly set about trying to rebuild the luxurious lives many had lived in East Africa. Industrialist Manubhai Madhvani, who died in 2011 aged 81, was a regular in the annual Rich Lists. He lost everything in 1972 but his business empire had interests in sugar, brewing and tourism. He once said ‘you can take someone's money, but you cannot take their know-how.'

"When young Ugandan Asians did get a job, it was after having to attend more interviews that their white counterparts. Again, this is something we still see today with young people from ethnic minority backgrounds sometimes changing their name at the top of a CV to try to get a foot in the door."

But it wasn’t easy in the early years. Those with professional skills in teaching or medicine, for example, found that their skills were not transferrable or needed to be topped up. This is something we still see today with the refugee and immigrant populations. One man, Vinod Kotecha, was a pharmacist in Uganda, but his diploma was not recognised in the UK. He was told by the then Pharmacy Association that he would have to study again from A-levels upwards to get the required qualifications recognised in the UK. He tried hard to get these qualifications but ended up working as a filing clerk in the local health authority in Leicester.

School-aged Ugandan Asians who finished off their school studies in the UK were less likely to get a job compared to their white counterparts so many young people continued their studies. When young Ugandan Asians did get a job, it was after having to attend more interviews that their white counterparts. Again, this is something we still see today with young people from ethnic minority backgrounds sometimes changing their name at the top of a CV to try to get a foot in the door.

One theory from M. H. Freeman’s thesis ‘Asian enterprise in Leicester’ is that ‘[Ugandan] Asian businessmen have frequently limited themselves to markets where they cannot be perceived as a threat by white people. Significant penetration into the white market has only been achieved in spheres considered undesirable by white traders. Grocery shops, newsagents, taxi-hire, of licences predominate for Asians; areas in which white entrepreneurs have long been in retreat.’ In fact, a Daily Mail article from 11 February 1976, titled ‘Service with a smile back in Britain’, estimated that Ugandan Asians had taken over 4,000 grocery stores, 1,000 newsagents, 500 sub-post offices and 300 pharmacies with young Ugandan Asians forming a ‘rising generation’ who were winning a substantial amount of university places and figuring prominently in GCSE results.

"…we can learn a lot from the Asians living here especially when it comes to family loyalties, respect of children to parents and sheer hard work to gain better standards from a poorer background."

Furthermore, an article by the Loughborough Echo newspaper, dated 10 January 1974, found that 90% of Ugandan Asians in the area were already working. The remaining 10% were either elderly or were unskilled.

In Leicester, Ugandan Asians’ presence has transformed the city from a depressed and deprived East Midlands town through the establishment of businesses, creation of community groups, entering politics and reinforcing the importance of education to future generations which has supported the strong communities in Belgrave, Melton Road and Rushey Mead and perhaps even further afield outside of their immediate community: in the opinions page of the Leicester Mercury newspaper from 30 August 1972, a reader noted that ‘…we can learn a lot from the Asians living here especially when it comes to family loyalties, respect of children to parents and sheer hard work to gain better standards from a poorer background.'

In the 50 years since Ugandan Asians were expelled from Uganda, many have returned but just as many have stayed and raised their families here and in the other countries that they settled in. The impact of this community is strong and continues today with some high profile success stories:

• Lata Patel who was mayor of Brent from 1996-97;
• Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, MBE, is one of Britain's most distinguished columnists (we note she left Uganda shortly before the official expulsion);
• Asif Din was an accomplished Warwickshire cricketer from 1981 to 1995, whose family arrived in the UK in 1972 with £50 to their name; and Tarique Ghaffur, CBE, was promoted to Assistant Commissioner within the Metropolitan Police and headed three of the Met’s Operational Command Units: the Directorate of Performance, Review and Standards in 2001; the Specialist Crime Directorate from November 2002; and Central Operations from 2006.

To mark 50 years since the expulsion of this community, there are a number of online and in-person events that have already kicked off:

• Charity AFFCAD UK has gathered a number of personal stories of those who fled Uganda: https://affcaduk.org/50-ugandan-asian-stories/
• On Instagram follow @UgandanAsians and @BritishUgandanAsians50 to get live updates on events across the country and access to articles and podcasts
• In Leicester, Navrang Arts has been provided with funding from the National Lottery and Leicester City Council to curate an exhibition. More details can be found @Uganda2Leic50

Do you have roots in Uganda too? Share your story in the comments below.

An earlier version of this article was first published in August 2020 and can be read here.

In conversation with Gareth Dominique, a property developer, innovator and creator.

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

We’re thrilled to bring you an interview with Gareth Dominique, founder and director of MJ Real Estate, a property development and investment company with a focus on delivering well designed quality homes in London, Essex and Kent. Having previously worked at Berkeley Homes, Countryside Property and Southern Grove, Gareth took his experience, knowledge and drive to set up his own business in April 2022. In this candid conversation, Gareth tells us more about this upbringing, learning from his father and why growing up in East London has embedded diversity and multi-culturalism in his values.

1. Let's start from the beginning, tell us about you, your upbringing and how you got to where you are today.

I am born and bred in East London, so my home football team is West Ham! I attended an all-boys Catholic School called St Bonaventure’s in Forest Gate, which was great, and I have some fantastic memories from my school years.

Being one of five siblings, my household was always loud, loving and full of parties. My mother was a full-time housewife, so took a very traditional role in the family. My dad is a builder, so my first introduction into the built environment was through working with him on weekends when he needed an extra pair of hands as a labourer. I enjoyed going on site, but I never liked getting my hands dirty, thus wearing gloves was essential for me! Ultimately, being a skilled builder was never going to be a route that I wanted to pursue, but I really enjoyed being on site and seeing the hard graft, skill and care that went into developing real estate.

"At the age of 19, I bought a house and converted the property into two flats. Unknowingly, this was the start of my buy-to-let property portfolio."

When I left college, I was a lost teenager and didn’t know what I really wanted to do. I decided to attend the University of East London and study Business Studies part time. I always enjoyed business and entrepreneurship and it made sense to study a subject that I had an interest in. Whilst studying I landed a Job in IT for a property company called Kalmars, a Southeast London commercial and residential estate agent. Within six months I was given an opportunity to try commercial agency selling and renting office space around the London Bridge and Bermondsey area. I was very successful doing this, which ignited my desire to work in Real Estate in a professional capacity and pursue a Chartered Surveying career.

It was during my time working at Kalmars that I purchased my first property at the age of 19 in Kent. I bought a house and converted the property into two flats. Unknowingly, this was the start of my buy-to-let property portfolio.

After I completed my Business Studies degree, I went on to study full time at the University of Reading to gain a master’s degree in Real Estate. I formed lifelong friends from this course and subsequently become a RICS Chartered Surveyor with my specialism being Planning and Development.

2. You took the leap and started your own business. What is your focus at MJ Real Estate? What drives you in this space?

"As a family man with two young boys, the idea of being able to give them a good head start in life and to be able to hand down a property business is a true goal of mine and keeps me very focused"

MJ Real Estate is essentially a property development and investment company with a focus on delivering well designed quality homes in London, Essex and Kent. The focus for the business is to continue to acquire income producing assets, either residential or commercial properties, and to then add value to these assets either through physical enhancements, planning gain and/or active asset management. We aim to achieve strong capital growth over the medium to long term, whilst achieving and maintaining an income stream. We acquire a wide range of different assets from offices, retail, land, industrial, multi-unit freeholds, listed buildings and short leasehold flats. Throughout my property career, I have had experience in all these asset classes which gives MJ Real Estate an edge when looking at opportunities to acquire. The principle of what we do is to hold income producing assets - cash flow is king!

I have the vision to see a ‘diamond in the ruff’, so transforming a derelict property or converting a dis-used office building into well designed, quality homes is a great feeling and drives me daily to continue doing what I do.

As a family man with two young boys, the idea of being able to give them a good head start in life and to be able to hand down a property business is a true goal of mine and keeps me very focused and driven to ensure MJ Real Estate is successful.

"People with different backgrounds, experiences, and knowledge working together leads to greater innovation and creativity which everyone benefits from."

3. Why is diversity important to you? What difference would it have made in your career to date?

I have always grown up in a diverse and multi-cultural environment. Being raised in the East End of London, diversity was never a question as East London is a melting pot of cultures. Mixing with people from different cultures, backgrounds and religions has led me to be a very grounded individual and to take an open-minded perspective on life, which has helped me in the corporate sector.

As we all know, people with different backgrounds, experiences, and knowledge working together leads to greater innovation and creativity which everyone benefits from, so diversity and inclusion should be on everyone’s agenda.

Thank you Gareth for you sharing your story. Stay tuned for our next interview!

Let's talk about menstrual health

Priya Aggarwal-Shah, Founder of PREACH Inclusion® (formerly BAME in Property) and Lauren Doy, Communications and Engagement Manager at LandAid

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

BAME in Property and LandAid, have come together to talk about the impact of periods on women facing homelessness to raise awareness for World Menstrual Hygiene Day (28 May).

From talking about the reality facing millions of women every day to providing tangible actions, we hope to encourage the built environment industry to do more to support not just homeless individuals on their period, but any individual who may be caught out when out and about.

Before we start, a short disclaimer. The official day is called World Menstrual Hygiene Day, however we have chosen to call it World Menstrual Health Day, to remove the stigma often attached with periods, and change the narrative and conversation to access, education and ultimately, better period health.

Let’s be honest, most women have been there. You’re out and about, enjoying your usual activities, and then you get caught short.

Often, there is a pharmacy or a supermarket close by to quickly purchase a few period products and the moment of panic is over. However, for young women experiencing homelessness the solution is not always so simple. Life is often unstable. From not having a bed from one day to the next, to managing financially, the struggle is real, and the reality is uncertain.

Yet, despite this challenge, in the context of periods, there is little research available about how women experiencing homelessness are really affected by their menstrual cycle and how they cope with access to products and toilets.

"The official day is called World Menstrual Hygiene Day, however we have chosen to call it World Menstrual Health Day, to remove the stigma often attached with periods, and change the narrative and conversation to access, education and ultimately, better period health."

Charities changing the narrative

In line with World Menstrual Health Day, we spoke to two charities who work with both LandAid and BAME in Property to understand a little more about how they support women in educating them around their periods, how they should be perceived and how to cope best in line with their own needs. These are Binti Period, another charity partner of BAME in Property and the Anah Project, one of the charities supported through LandAid funding.

"Collectively we want to change this conversation. From hygiene and sanitation to dignity and provision."

Binti Period believe that every girl deserves menstrual dignity. They provide access to education about periods, access to pads, and advocate for freedom from stigmas and taboos surrounding periods.

The Anah Project provides multilingual support for women who have fled abusive environments. They aim to educate women on their human rights, increase their confidence and self-esteem and regain their independence. They do this by delivering support that focuses on a woman’s individual needs. This includes education on period health.

Both charities support women from many different cultures and backgrounds. The commonality they experience is how often the women that they work with feel ashamed of what they are experiencing every month. They feel that it’s both unsanitary and dirty.

Collectively we want to change this conversation. From hygiene and sanitation to dignity and provision.

Periods should be perceived as a healthy part of life as opposed to something that should be hidden.

Intertwined with often untrue myths about how women should act when on their period or why they are experiencing the symptoms, they find it difficult to talk about.

The Anah Project is experienced in dealing with conversations around period health and provides regular training sessions to act as a factual sounding board for the women at their centre. They also share information packs which have been translated into multiple languages, including Urdu and Punjabi.

This conversation is very powerful but does have its limits.

The harsh reality

The financial instability that comes with homelessness means that many women can find it difficult to acquire the basic necessities needed to manage a healthy period. The women at the Anah Project are provided with period products as part of the regular routine when they arrive at the centre.

"We all understand that feeling of being caught short!"

However, for those more unsupported, Binti Period find that these women often resort to using toilet paper in between periods because this is readily available in public buildings. This is only exasperated in young people who can feel even more embarrassed to ask for help.

Despite the vending machines present in many toilets across the UK, women do not always have the means to pay for these, or even have the correct change needed. We all understand that feeling of being caught short!

Support can create impactful change

The built environment industry and individuals can all play a part in changing the narrative of period health and providing the right resources and support to all women from all backgrounds. Here’s how.

"Collectively we can all talk about period health in a new light. Own the conversation and encourage dignity and provision."

Free period products in all public buildings. Real estate companies can encourage the implementation of free period products in public spaces across the UK. This would have considerable impact on the social infrastructure of the country for women. For young women experiencing homelessness in particular, this small change would create feelings of security. From shopping centres to supermarkets and libraries, real estate companies have key leverage in ensuring the facilities they own are providing everything they can.

Surrey County Council became the first council to provide free products across the borough. This means that anyone can pick up period products, feeling confident that there will be no judgement. To make it known that these products are available there are stickers in the locations where they are provided, like Visa or Mastercard stickers. They are striving to eradicate the stigma. Binti Period are particularly advocating for this to be rolled out across the UK. There should be no discrepancy between those experiencing homelessness to those who may have forgotten their pad or tampon; it doesn’t matter.

Educating and raising awareness. Collectively we can all talk about period health in a new light. Own the conversation and encourage dignity and provision.

Donating to relevant charities. And we can all, as individuals and companies keep providing support through donations, both monetary and physical health products, to those charities who are creating a safe space and helping those who need it most.

We hope we have given some food for thought and inspired you to start the conversation about periods. Please do get in touch with either of us for any support.

This article was originally published in EG here.

BAME in Property and LandAid

BAME in Property bring together BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnicities) and non-BAME professionals who are passionate about increasing ethnic diversity in the property and planning sectors. They are part of LandAid’s Networks Against Homelessness. LandAid bring the property industry together to support charities across the UK, delivering lifechanging services for young people who are experiencing homelessness.

To find out more visit https://www.landaid.org/join-us/our-communities/networks-against-homelessness

BAME in Property signs up to Race Equality Network's #MyNameIs campaign

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

To mark Race Equality Week (7-13th February), BAME in Property signed up to Race Equality Network's #MyNameIs campaign.

Research conducted by the Race Equality Network found that 73% of respondents from more than 100 organisations had their names mispronounced. 88% of respondents thought a phonetic name spelling campaign would help tackle race inequality.

But why does this matter?

Your name is your identity. It represents your culture, heritage and family connections. Getting someone's name right is respecting this and their differences, and giving them a sense of belonging.

Intentionally getting someone's name wrong or shortening it to make it easier to pronounce shows lack of respect and can make someone feel uncomfortable. Over time, many people stop correcting mispronounced names simply to fit in. Read more about our committee member Bhavini Shah's experience here.

Let's stop this.

The solution

Race Equality Matters #MyNameIs campaign, is a simple but highly impactful solution to ensure everyone pronounces people’s names correctly.

The Campaign calls to normalise phonetic spelling in your email signature, meetings, name badges and more.

How to get it right?

1. Ask the person to pronounce it. and actively listen. Rather than try to say a name you are unfamiliar with, ask the person how to pronounce it.
2. Don't make it a big deal. Once you have heard the correct pronunciation, thank them and move on. Don’t focus on how unfamiliar you are with their name.
3. Observe and practise. Make an effort to hear how someone pronounces their name to other people, even if you have heard it before. Check if you are introducing them in a public forum and practise.
4. Clarify again. If you meet someone again after a while it’s fine to check how you should pronounce their name.
5. Do something when you realise you’ve been mispronouncing it. Apologise when you get it wrong, as soon as you realise.
6. Be an ally. If you hear someone mispronouncing a colleague's name, when they are not around, step in and correct them gently. 7. Don't be arrogant of flippant. Don't say "I'll never get it right," or not listen when you are corrected.

Will you become part of the #MyNameIs movement?

The Need for Equity in BAME Communities

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

It’s 2022 and we’re still talking about injustices in housing and planning?! To kick off our 2022 blog series, Antoinette Squires, an Urban Planning student at Loughborough University, shares her views on why equity over equality needs to be prioritised in planning to result in better outcomes for Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities. From meaningful engagement to community-based practices, these are just some of the equitable solutions planners can start to incorporate to create a more inclusive society. Less talking - more walking, who’s with us?

As I was exploring ways in which the planning system can prioritise the needs of BAME communities through explicit policy, I came across an impactful line:- In Amy Bristow’s report on ‘Meeting the Needs of BAME Households’, it stated that most of the planners interviewed, felt that “they would need strong evidence to prioritise the needs of certain groups above others.” In all honesty, I was completely stunned. Isn’t the evidence all around us? A walk through predominantly ethnic neighbourhoods in Hackney or Tower Hamlets reveals the ingrained inequalities. The tangible evidence often manifests itself in poorly maintained houses and streets, all of which contributes to the atmosphere of poverty that enshrouds these places. If I can see this with my naked eye, why is there an absence of “strong evidence”?

"There is a serious knowledge gap within the industry on manifestations of racial inequality"

In my opinion, this troubling perception is because research into the experience of BAME individuals is unprioritized. With only 3% of planners identifying as BAME, there is a serious knowledge gap within the industry on manifestations of racial inequality. Additionally, there is a tendency to adopt a technocratic approach to community engagement. This constrains democratic discourse; the only way we can hear the needs of the marginalised. Thankfully, following the Black Lives Matter protests, the RTPI has pledged to increase diversity within the sector. With greater power granted to the opinions of BAME planners, we might witness a shift in priorities.

Equality versus equity

A policy shift towards building equity within ethnic enclaves should be considered. Equity tailors resource allocation to the specific needs of a community, creating equal access to success. Within planning, the Equity Planning framework exists to make this possible. It encourages planners to utilise their resources and influence, to implement policies that redistribute resources to marginalised groups.

"The truth is equality can be problematic because we all have different starting points in life. Therefore, equity is the best way to achieve equality"

Since adopting equity planning, Baltimore City has altered its planning process to include equitable concerns. For example, when assessing proposals, they ask 'What historic disadvantages and advantages have affected residents in the given community?'. These changes align with their goal of making Baltimore a city that “addresses the needs of its diverse population, and meaningfully engages with residents through inclusive, collaborative processes to expand access to resources and power.” In its current form, the UK’s planning system evades equity. The domineering argument is the planning system is fair and inclusive because our procedures promote equality. However, the truth is equality can be problematic because we all have different starting points in life. Therefore, equity is the best way to achieve equality.

An equitable solution that can be considered is Collaborative Housing (CH). Popular in cities like Vienna, CH is designed to make communities take the lead in the housing development process. From its inception, residents work with external stakeholders like planners and architects, to design housing that fulfils their needs. Ranging from small apartments to a collection of single-family units, developments frequently include communal kitchens, childcare facilities, and green spaces. This tailored approach to housing, builds community networks, which ultimately improves residents’ quality of life.

Structural biases within housing

Many ethnic enclaves lack this community support. To comprehend why, we must consider the structural biases, particularly within the housing sector. According to research, 30% of the BAME population (excluding Indians), are likely to live in unaffordable housing, despite, on average, allocating one-third of their income to rent. When coupled with policies that disproportionally affect minorities like Benefit Cuts, NRPF and Right to Rent, considerable levels of housing insecurity are experienced. Because of this, ethnic minorities are frequently unable to develop spatial and personal attachments with their neighbourhoods. Hence, the rapid rates of residential turnover and lack of community engagement often witnessed.

"With strong connections, a willingness to aid each other can emerge."

On a household level, the lack of community leads to struggles in child rearing. With many parents working to provide for their family, both here and abroad, a pattern of parental absenteeism within the home emerges. Unfortunately, this may result in their child underachieving due to a lack of guidance, potentially stunting upward social mobility. A supportive community can change this. With strong connections, a willingness to aid each other can emerge. Multipurpose rooms may become language centres for parents, so they can better engage in their children’s education. Community operated childcare services may extend from a singular space, to include things like school bus services or affordable babysitting.

Changing policy

"I implore all planners and the RTPI to recognise the power they possess and use it to stimulate equity"

If the RTPI wants to increase diversity within the sector and achieve equality, it must begin by instilling equity into BAME communities. While it won’t be easy, policy changes are critical. Meaningful engagement must be prioritised, with a focus on allowing conversations and building understanding. Moreover, to increase participation, recommendations outlined in Grayling Engage and the RTPI’s Future of Engagement report must be implemented. Lastly, we must persuade investors by establishing a sound business case for equitable development. In closing, I implore all planners and the RTPI to recognise the power they possess and use it to stimulate equity.

Black History Month special - In conversation with Ebun Ewedemi, Founder of Prime Link Property Services

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

To mark Black History Month (BHM), Priya Aggarwal-Shah chats with Ebun Ewedemi, Founder of Prime Link Property Services to celebrate five years of her business. Ebun is an entrepreneur and a risk taker, pursuing the road less trodden, while many of her peers have chosen traditional career paths. At only 23, Ebun founded her Property Inventory business and has since grown her scope of work and her team, one of her biggest achievements.

But it’s not been all plain sailing and Ebun speaks candidly about some of the challenges of running a business and more so, the impact of COVID-19 on day-to-day functions. That being said, Ebun has successfully diversified the business's services, expanded their work across London and has plans to head to other major UK regions. Watch this space, the next five years are going to be special.

How it started

“I started working when I was 13, earning £5 p/h, working one evening a week at a youth/theatre club for teens; I would do that after school. I’ve had a strong work ethic instilled in me from a young age.”

Ebun spoke about how her parents had inspired an entrepreneurial bug within her as they owned small businesses. However, her interest in property peaked from watching Homes Under the Hammer. The combination of the two inspired her to study Residential Property at Kingston University. Although this was more of a surveying related degree, she then started part-time work at Property Inventory company, learning the ins and outs of the trade. After her time at university, she landed a position within the real estate company, Savills but soon quit to start her own business, which is known today as Prime Link Property Services.

Major Milestones

Running a business is no easy task, yet every milestone is worth being acknowledged. Ebun graduated with a First-Class Honours from Kingston University and started her own company at just 23 years old not long after. A key achievement was employing her first member of staff whilst her peers had begun climbing the corporate ladder, and the cherry on top of the cake was buying her first property a year after graduating from university at age 22.

“I bought my first property a year after I graduated from university. Whilst I was at university I worked part time during term time, full time during the summer. I saved my wages and lived off of student maintenance loans and grants during my time as a student. I saved with the intention of purchasing a property, that was a pretty important goal for me. I wanted to get on the property ladder straight away, I saved up and did just that, which was a huge achievement for me.”

Ebun has been fortunate enough to purchase an additional property since then, which is currently undergoing a refurb to add value.

More recently, she has been nominated as finalist for the ‘Young Entrepreneur of the year 2021’ award in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It’s an honour to receive such recognition, alongside esteem individuals different sectors.

She has and continues to ‘do it all and then some’ all whilst being young. A truly inspiring figure for today’s youth and to shine a spotlight on her will certainly help to show others that if she can do it, they can too.

Being unconventional when it was easier to do the opposite

From our conversation, it was clear that Ebun’s parents had been very influential in her life. But starting a business at such a young age when her peers were starting out their careers must have had its own challenges. Ebun was clear that whilst her chosen path differed to those around her, her journey would also be unique.

“Post uni, students from my course were securing positions in graduate schemes and jobs at the big real estate firms, they had their Surveying and corporate Real Estate careers mapped out. I always knew my journey would be different. I tried not to compare myself and I knew it would be rewarding down the line. But yes, some people questioned my decision to go into this field, to them it just seemed so random?! My friends were curious but also supportive. My dad was excited and all for it. My mum was initially a little sceptical, as I had literally just started paying my mortgage, however, I had her full support not long after.”

She went on to say that it is difficult to step out on your own, however working part time when she first started her business was the best thing, because she had more time to focus on her newly budding enterprise whilst remaining financially afloat.

The highs and lows

When asked about her experience on being her own boss, Ebun stated that the best things about the transition from working for another to working for oneself, is living life on her own terms, and having the freedom to wake up each day and be in full control of her schedule. Another perk of being her own boss is cultivating her own team, which is made up of women of different races and cultures.

“Empowering and supporting my team is a priority for me. I enjoy watching people develop and thrive within the company. I’m big on self development and I make a conscious effort to ensure everyone has the opportunity to grow within their role. I love helping people, also having a close-knit team, is another part of entrepreneurship that I enjoy.”

When it comes to the lows, Ebun has realised that every aspect of her business comes with its own challenges. If it is not a challenge with regards to expenses, it is the challenge of working through moments of self-doubt. With such huge responsibilities, it is certainly easier to give up, but she is adamant in pushing through the adversities.

As she aptly states, “with failure comes wisdom, I’ve had a lot of challenges on this journey, but I see each negative experience as a lesson. For each time I’ve been knocked back, I’ve come back better and stronger.”

The impact of COVID-19

Since Ebun’s business is based on tenants moving in and out of properties, she explained that for a short period at the start of the pandemic, the phones were ringing but her team could not go out and render their services to customers. To combat the issue of not being able to go out, she started looking at other avenues such as virtual inventory check ins.

“At the beginning of Covid-19 we started looking into other methods of performing our Inventory services, such as virtual Inventory check ins and self Inventory check ins. We were ready to adapt and change our methods to meet the needs to our customers during that challenging time. We didn’t actually end up launching these services, as the government soon gave the go-ahead for property viewings to continue, which meant that tenants could move, therefore business slowly started to pick up again. As a result of the crisis, we adopted remote working, created our own covid safety practices and invested into a great deal of PPE! I am blessed and grateful that we were able to bounce back, we all know many businesses that struggled during the pandemic, and are still struggling.”

The importance of diversity

“It’s so important for me to offer opportunities to and work with people who look like me, because I know we all have it hard. I feel like we’re the only ones that are going to help ourselves.”

From one challenge to another, diversity in the workplace was our next topic of conversation. Ebun reiterated that as a Black woman, diversity is very important to her. She believes that everyone deserves a fair chance, no matter their race.

For her, especially as a Londoner, coming together to share ideas, is when the 'magic really does happen.' She also explained that because she’s grown up as a Black woman and had to face certain challenges, she does not want other ethnic minorities to face those challenges either. Thus, she is creating opportunities for Black women because a lot of big corporations, even in London as diverse as it is, are not really diverse in who they hire. That is why it is important for her, as exemplified with her team to hire people from different racial backgrounds. Hiring ethnic minorities puts a spotlight on them and their achievements which will in turn allow those in power to give such individuals a chance.

Next steps for Prime Link Property Services and Ebun

“We've always predominantly offered Property Inventory services, however we recently diversified and now offer a variety of services making us a one stop shop.. Alongside the business, I’m working on building up my property portfolio and working with more Investors and Landlords on property investment projects."

A huge congratulations are in order for Ebun, as her business has achieved a major milestone of turning five. When asked what her plans will be for the next five years, she is looking to diversify the services that the company provides. Although Prime Link is primarily known for providing inventory services, they also offer other services such as: Professional cleaning, Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), Gas Safety certificates, and more. These services complement each other, so it very important for Ebun that they garner equal recognition. Another goal of hers is scaling and expanding the business across the UK.

Last but not the least, Ebun shares her thoughts on Black History Month

As our BHM special interview, it was only right to ask Ebun a few questions about what this means to her.

“I feel like every month should be Black History Month. The Month is a time of reflection of the past accomplishments and sacrifices Black people have made. It means learning about my roots and how I got here. It’s also an opportunity to celebrate how far we’ve come, and recognise our contributions to society today."

There is no doubt that Ebun has achieved a huge amount in a short space of time. She has navigated through challenges and made the best of opportunities. All the best for the next five years and we look forward to following her journey.

What does a feminist city look like? – Academy of Urbanism event summary

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

This month, we’re delighted to have Kirsty Watt, an architectural assistant at the progressive design studio GRAS, and recent graduate from the University of Dundee’s Architecture with Urban Planning course. Kirsty also researches and consults on gendered design and feminist urbanism on a freelance basis and as a result chaired this Academy of Urbanism event, ‘What does a feminist city look like?’ to not only facilitate a hugely important and topical discussion, but to enhance her own learnings in the subject. Kirsty brought together a range of speakers to share their views, and here she shares her own thoughts on the event.

I tried as much as possible to get a variation of different speakers across disciplines - including architects, urban planners, academics and activists - as well as varying cultural and ethnic backgrounds, ages and level of experiences. The event acted as an instigator for the Academy to discuss topics of community empowerment, feminism, and gendered design, and will hopefully be the first of many like it. Chairing the conversation also provided me the opportunity to explore some of the ideals I had been researching, and the ways in which they could be differently actioned within the UK’s built environment.

"A feminist city is a feeling. It cannot easily be prescribed within design and policy" - Deborah Broomfield

Perhaps the title of 'what does a feminist city look like' was incorrect, because - as one of our speakers Deborah Broomfield reminded us - a feminist city is a feeling. It cannot easily be prescribed within design and policy, although of course any momentum that architecture and urban design can create in this area is very much welcome.

A feminist city is a better way of treating people - and notably all people - and our environment. Where does planning and architecture currently fail to create a feminist city? A lot of what we discovered and learnt from each other was that feminist and just cities rely on genuine community engagement. We need to meet people where they are at - be that by ensuring that community consultations are fully accessible, at convenient times, and safe places, or by catering participatory methods to the needs and level of understanding of the local community, who perhaps don’t have any experience of the commercial side of property, or indeed have never seen a scaled drawing before. Aoibhin McGinley of Manalo & White Architects spoke of her experiences of community engagement within her latest project, the East End Women’s Museum, and the benefit that the charity’s perspective has had on the design process. This sparked a memory of the work of Matrix, a feminist architecture collective that arose in England in the 1980s, and their project Jumoke Nursery in particular, where the women of Matrix strived to support the client and charity staff in gaining a spatial understanding of what was drawn.

“We put a ribbon marked as a metric tape on the wall of the room they usually met in’ ... ‘We did an overlay of the meeting-room at the same size as any of the drawings, to provide a point of comparison. We held a session on the building process and put up some A3 explanatory sheets. And we also used a model. [Julia Dwyer of Matrix]” (Griffiths, 1989)

One of our other speakers, In The Making, also cited community participation during the discussion. In The Making was formed by a group of architecture students during the pandemic, and their latest project Make Big Noise incorporated and included the end user - children - throughout the whole process, be that through imaginative drawing exercises, or by teaching them how to help with the building. Make Big Noise is a constantly evolving series of structures. It became apparent throughout the event - and in my previous research - that mixed use and adaptable space is vital to the creation of this feeling of a feminist city that we spoke so much about. Adaptable space has the capability of being inclusive to everyone, whilst also being efficient with time and space. It could even be argued that mixed use provides constant “eyes on the street,” as Jane Jacobs highlighted within The Life and Death of American Cities as fundamental to the perception of safety within cityspaces.

The event provided some confirmation that the things I had been researching did in fact work in practice, and were being thought about in the right places, grounded by the priorities outline by Alys Mumford - a representative from the Scottish feminist organisation Engender.

"Vulnerable and marginalised people and communities must be prioritised, and deserve the space to voice their opinions and requirements with knowledge that what they’re asking for will be at the forefront of the developing design."

It was really encouraging to see the audience and the speakers interact from a place of equality and passion for a common goal. What is key now is that architects and planners begin, albeit slowly, implementing these ideas at the outset of their designs and try where possible to either research and understand the needs of everyone in those spaces, or alternatively just ask the community. Charles Montgomery argues that in order to create a “happy city,” (Montgomery, 2013) every person within the society must feel that they have a place. As such, vulnerable and marginalised people and communities must be prioritised, and deserve the space to voice their opinions and requirements with knowledge that what they’re asking for will be at the forefront of the developing design.

Ignorance is no longer an excuse for societal, political or spatial exclusion, and appropriate visibility of these people and their problems needs to be at the forefront of our next steps towards a feminist city.

Read more about Kirsty Watt here.

South Asian Heritage Month Special, In conversation with Roma the Engineer

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

To mark South Asian Heritage Month 2021, BAME in Property is delighted to bring you a fascinating and personal interview with Roma Agrawal, aka 'Roma the Engineer'. Roma is an award-winning engineer, author and broadcaster. From footbridges and sculptures, to train stations and skyscrapers – including The Shard – she has left an indelible mark on London’s landscape. Born in India, Roma has been inspired by Bombay's apartment blocks and colourful heritage in her own life and work. She has made her mark across Science and Engineering through her advocacy and diversity work, inspiring the next generation of female and BAME engineers. The author of several books, we are also thrilled to share some key insights on her latest children's book, How was that built. Grab a chai and dive in!

1. Let's start from the beginning; tell us about you, your upbringing and education.

I was born in Bombay (as it was called at the time) then shortly left to live in the USA on the East Coast. My family moved back to Bombay when I was 7, and then I came to the UK for my A levels when I was 16. I always loved maths and science and knew I wanted a career somewhere in these fields but I didn't know what I wanted to do until I was about 20! So I came into engineering circuitously.

2. What inspired you to study physics, a subject dominated by men, and subsequently pursue a career in structural engineering? Tell us about some of the high-profile projects you've worked on.

"I didn't really think about the fact that physics would be male dominated, I just went along with it, but I definitely had a crisis of confidence when I started at Oxford."

Not knowing what career I wanted, I decided to do physics at university because I liked it, and because I knew that I could do a wide range of jobs from there - physics kept my options open. I didn't really think about the fact it would be male dominated, I just went along with it, but I definitely had a crisis of confidence when I started at Oxford. One summer during my undergraduate degree, I had a job to earn some extra cash, and I was lucky enough to be sitting in an office with engineers (although my job didn't entail engineering). I watched them work and realised that they were using maths and physics to solve problems, and I was hooked. I chose structural engineering because I had wanted to be an architect when I was a teenager so I thought this would also satisfy my curiosity of building. I was lucky to have worked on some amazing projects during my career. I'm best known for my work on The Shard, on which I spent six years, and I also worked on the design of a footbridge in Newcastle, a train station in South London, and a few residential buildings in central London.

3. What influence has growing up in India had on your career?

"Our preferences for how we live are strongly influenced by culture."

I lived in a concrete apartment block which was seven stories tall next to the beach and loved it. We had communal space and lots of friends to play with. That upbringing made me realise how our preferences for how we live are strongly influenced by culture, and that I was very happy living in a flat in London because that's how I'd grown up, whereas most people I know here aspire to buy a house with a garden. It means that I believe there are lots of different ways that people can live and be comfortable and happy. My diverse background and associated life experiences also makes me more attuned to where I feel spaces aren't working for everyone.

4. You're the author of several books, tell us about these and your latest children's book, 'How was that built'?

"I wanted to inspire young people and show them what an exciting opportunity becoming an engineer can be."

I followed the usual career path of working on projects, taking on growing responsibility, and honing my technical and communication skills for the early years of my career. While working on The Shard, I began receiving loads of invites to speak at school and universities because I don't look like the typical engineer. I realised I was good at breaking down complex technical principles and explaining engineering in an exciting way, so I wanted to inspire young people and show them what an exciting opportunity becoming an engineer can be. After years of doing dozens of talks a year for many years, I decided to write Built: The Hidden Stories Behind our Structures. It's written for the layperson and has loads of interesting anecdotes and fascinating stories from history. After receiving glowing reviews in outlets such as The Observer, The Financial Times, The Guardian and our industry trade press, I decided that a children's version was needed, and How Was That Built? was born. The book has structures from all seven continents, underwater and space, with lots of wonderful, diverse role models. It's being published on 16 September this year, and I'm really excited about it!

5. Tell us more about the diversity initiatives you're involved in? What has been your greatest achievement in this space? Why is levelling the playing field so important in structural engineering?

I've been involved in many initiatives including being part of the CIC Diversity Panel. I engage with most of the major engineering institutions on their campaigns and also with all my employers. My greatest achievement is actually slightly outside the engineering world -- it's the mentoring scheme I've launched to support underrepresented science writers, called ScienceWrite The publishing world in the UK also has a major diversity problem, and I want to empower writers from different backgrounds to be able to write and make a name for themselves. It's in its first year and we're hoping to expand in the future (funding dependent!).

6. As this is a South Asian Heritage Month special interview, here's some quickfire questions!

Favourite city or place in South Asia? Bombay, there is a buzz in that city that cannot be rivalled.

Favourite South Asian food or cuisine? Chaat, always chaat!

Favourite Bollywood film. Hmm, I'm a huge Aamir Khan fan, so most of his work really! If I had to pick, I'd say Lagaan had a lasting impact on me.

What does South Asian Heritage Month mean to you in three words. Learning our history.

Thank you, Roma for sharing your fascinating career and life with us, we wish you all the best in the publication of your upcoming book.

In conversation with Anup Pankhania, Managing Director of Jaspar Group

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

This week, Priya Aggarwal-Shah, founder of PREACH Inclusion® (formerly BAME in Property) sat down with Anup Pankhania, Managing Director of Jaspar Group, a family business, which has grown exponentially in the last few years. They discussed Jaspar Group’s fascinating journey, how its pivoted through the COVID-19 pandemic and what this means for current and future development, as well as the all-important Jaspar Foundation, the company’s charity arm making a difference to communities in need. Grab a cuppa and dive in!

The journey

Anup learnt the hard graft of property and real estate from his father, the founder and Chairman of Jaspar Group. After completing an Undergraduate in Geography at Oxford University, followed by an MPhil in Real Estate Finance at Cambridge University, Anup immediately joined the family business. Unlike his peers who were heading into central London on graduate schemes, Anup was working from his father’s one room office in Stanmore with only two other colleagues in the company.

“The early days were quite lonely, but the responsibility was real,” said Anup. “At the age of 22, my father sent me to Hong Kong to sell a block of flats and I sold half of them in two and half days. At one point, I even held back on selling units thinking the market was going to boom once we finish the development. Little did I know a financial crash was looming. The experience was surreal.”

Just when Anup thought he had hit a major milestone, the real work started.

“Then the hardhat came straight on and we had to deliver schemes we had acquired. Being slung into the deep end I very quickly learnt about planning, construction, design, the full set of skills needed to run and grow the business.”

And that wasn’t an understatement. Anup has since grown the business from three employees to 30 and counting. He explained how throughout the years he has gone through countless trial and errors but in the end, taking risks and being open to new ideas and new ways of doing things have paid off.

In the early days of Jaspar Group, their bread and butter was commercial to residential unit conversions. These days, Jaspar Group has completely diversified its range of assets, from heritage assets to retirement living developments, Anup has pivoted the company to focus on areas with long term planning potential. Today, Anup’s main goal is to scale the business, and this is contributed by growing a team of talented people and focusing on creating structure and processes in their business.

Current projects

Anup shared that Jaspar Group currently has four sites on the go and are aiming to deliver 100 homes this year, where previously this would have been 30-40 per year. As a business, they are always on the lookout for new sites, from Chichester to Canterbury, Mayfair to Holborn and Tonbridge to St Albans. He proudly added that Jaspar Group has developed most of Stanmore town centre the jewel of Harrow. The company’s focus across the Southeast is impressive and constantly growing. Anup added that his growing team now has the ability and knowledge to accommodate all different parts of the UK. E.g. they are close to securing an iconic site in Sevenoaks- which will add to their enviable portfolio.

Post-COVID-19

How we live, work and engage with others has completely changed during the pandemic, something which was highlighted in Grayling Engage’s Future of Digital Engagement report.

"You no longer need to live where you work and that has been one of the reasons why we have shifted our focus [as a company] to out of city centre sites.”

We discussed how town hall engagement doesn’t suit every demographic, while online engagement offers greater flexibility for young couples and growing families – their target market. At the same time, there was acknowledgement that online engagement misses those informal conversations you may have during face-to-face consultation.

At a macro level, COVID-19 has provided Jaspar Group with new site opportunities due to a change in behaviour.

"My dream is to work from Portugal, I truly believe in flexible working...”

“COVID has changed behaviour, people want new homes and have a real sense of YOLO after being in numerous lockdowns! They also want to upsize, and want access to open space,” said Anup. “You no longer need to live where you work and that has been one of the reasons why we have shifted our focus [as a company] to out of city centre sites.” Anup talked about some of their successful schemes in Haslemere and Virginia Water, and a new site in Finchley, which all have one feature in common – access to considerable open space.

Meanwhile, on a micro level, Anup is optimistic about how he might change his own way of working.

“My dream is to work from Portugal, I truly believe in flexible working and if you have the right people anything is possible.”

Power in people

"Collaboration is important; property is about people – people in your business and providing homes for people. If you haven’t got diversity, you’re just not hitting it."

There is no bigger strength than your people and they are your real assets. Anup spoke proudly of the diversity across his employees.

“We’ve got good gender balance and ethnic diversity within the company – this gives me strength in my business,” said Anup. “The quality of leaders is important but having the right people around you is crucial. Collaboration is important; property is about people – people in your business and providing homes for people. If you haven’t got diversity, you’re just not hitting it.”

And despite a stellar education at Oxbridge, Anup hasn’t stopped learning from the best. He is part of an academy, which encourages peer to peer learning. Having joined five years ago, this Academy has changed his thinking and been one of the main catalysts to his company’s growth. He has learnt the challenges and solutions other business leaders have faced and applied these learnings to Jaspar Group’s future growth.

“How can I expect my people to develop and learn if I’m not continuously learning and developing myself?” said Anup.

Jaspar Foundation

With all this success, Jaspar Group has committed to giving back to the community, a founding principle of the company. This was initially done through the creation of the Jaspar Centre in Harrow town centre, which later evolved into the Jaspar Foundation.

“Jaspar Foundation was set up by my father,” said Anup.* “He wanted to support a group of Asian women who were looking after the elderly in Harrow. They didn’t have their own community centre to socialise and run events, so he created the Jaspar Centre, to empower and inspire the elderly population in our community.”*

Anup’s father’s [Raj Pankhania] work was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List on Saturday 11 June 2021. Raj was awarded a BEM – a British Empire Medal for services to older people and the community in North London. This is an accolade directly attributed to his creation of Jaspar Centre.

"My parents’ generation came from very humble beginnings, but I am fortunate to have been given a solid platform and I want to build on it and share it."

A few years ago, Jaspar Group sold Jaspar Centre and the income acquired from this sale and a proportion of the company’s overall sales, is going towards charities. Jaspar Group is looking to donate £250,000 a year to charities and within five years, increase this figure to £1 million a year.

They are donating all over the world and to different causes, involving the business at every opportunity. This month (June 2021), the whole company is taking part in LandAid’s 10km run – with LandAid’s aim to end youth homelessness, this was a value that naturally aligned with Jaspar Group. Additionally, Jaspar Foundation is going beyond the usual S106 requirements, identifying charities and community groups to support in the areas they work in.

Ultimately, this comes down to people over profits.

“My parents’ generation came from very humble beginnings, but I am fortunate to have been given a solid platform and I want to build on it and share it. Not just within communities we work in, but even our company profits are shared with our employees – the people who make the magic happen.”

No doubt Anup has built a company on some meaningful values. Watch this space for the future of Jaspar Group and the Jaspar Foundation.

This article was first published on Grayling Engage.

It’s time to tackle racial housing inequalities through effective stakeholder and community engagement

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

Founder of PREACH Inclusion® (formerly BAME in Property), Priya Aggarwal-Shah considers what role stakeholder engagement can take in addressing housing inequalities faced by BAME people

We have known for decades that BAME communities face inequalities in many aspects of society. However, when it comes to housing, BAME communities face significant challenges with climbing the property ladder, overcrowding, and how and where they live – factors which are usually out of their control.

“When we talk about inequalities in housing, one cannot dissect these without acknowledging the links between health, housing and race, impacting different ethnic minorities in varying ways”

The culmination of these issues has huge implications for health and overall quality of life, creating a vicious circle where some ethnic minorities continue to face housing challenges throughout generations.

As founder of BAME in Property, I am no stranger to airing my concerns about these inequalities. That being said, I also wear another hat, with my work in stakeholder and community engagement at Grayling Engage using effective consultation as one of the key solutions to reduce BAME housing inequalities.

Before I delve into this topic and in light of the recent Sewell Report, which has recommended scrapping the term ‘BAME’, it’s worth providing a disclaimer. BAME is an all-encompassing term, used because it’s easy to abbreviate and adopt in everyday terminology. I am the first to state that “BAME does not mean the same”.

When we talk about inequalities in housing, one cannot dissect these without acknowledging the links between health, housing and race, impacting different ethnic minorities in varying ways. Take homeownership for example, Indians in Britain have the highest rates of homeownership at 74%, compared with 68% of white British households. On the other hand, Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities face more housing hardships, including overcrowding and difficulties with accessing finance to get onto the housing ladder.

Indeed, while all these ethnicities come under the umbrella term ‘Asian’, their lived experiences are different. It’s important to recognise the cultural differences or barriers which might reinforce overcrowding, such as language hurdles to communicate issues to local authorities or fewer women working within some communities, resulting in less income to upsize the family home.

“One in 23 Black households are homeless or threatened with homelessness, versus one in 83 households from all other ethnicities combined”

Closely related is the practice of multigenerational housing. The Resolution Foundation found that 80% of British South Asian families and 50% of Black African or Caribbean households are multigenerational. While traditional family housing is perfect for multigenerational living, many newer developments are smaller in size and space, making it difficult to house multiple families without the risk of overcrowding.

This has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Health Foundation found that people’s housing environments have impacted their ability to self-isolate and shield. People have been encouraged to stay at home, but a full house means a higher chance of transmitting the virus.

The list of inequalities facing BAME communities in housing could go on. Black people make up 3% of the UK’s population but count for over 14% of rough sleepers. Research by Shelter has shown that Black people are disproportionately affected by homelessness, with one in 23 Black households becoming homeless or threatened with homelessness, versus one in 83 households from all other ethnicities combined.

“One of the most effective ways to understand these inequalities and thus respond better to diverse needs is through community and stakeholder engagement”

Aside from the physical impacts of overcrowding pushing people into homelessness, most families living in constrained spaces are facing a multitude of hardships, such as unemployment, digital poverty and family breakdown – all of which contribute to homelessness. It’s worth noting that Black families are disproportionately impacted by all of these issues, many stating that this is related to their race.

One of the most effective ways to understand these inequalities and thus respond better to diverse needs is through community and stakeholder engagement. Aside from thoroughly researching age and ethnicity demographics, understanding who the key stakeholders and influencers are within a community – for example, religious leaders – can aid better and more sensitive engagement.

Grayling Engage and the Royal Town Planning Institute’s Future of Digital Engagement report, published in December 2020, highlighted the importance of established networks in breaking down barriers and building trust with the very communities that are marginalised and tend to be disproportionately impacted by new developments or housing issues.

Such leaders can help create a collaborative forum for residents to come together and share their views in a comfortable way. By doing this, you’re empowering hard-to-reach communities and they are more likely to seek help.

“Online engagement must reflect diverse needs and audiences”

Where this type of engagement was once predominantly held face-to-face, digital engagement is now a must-have, not a nice-to-have. The coronavirus pandemic has moved conversations online, something we’re seeing first-hand through our Engage Online platform, which tailors engagement campaigns to different demographics and digital abilities.

Most importantly, online engagement must reflect diverse needs and audiences – our same report emphasised the need to have digital engagement tools and content designed by diverse teams to ensure inclusivity. This means using imagery which reflects the community you’re engaging with or offering multiple language options relevant to an area. The better and more inclusive the tool, the higher the likelihood of such communities taking part and sharing their views.

Ultimately, it goes without saying that planning and engagement teams should be representative of the very communities that we are working in. This allows for more specific insights into the lived experiences of marginalised communities to ensure that our support is sensitive and appropriate for different needs.

We’re not going to eradicate housing inequalities overnight, but getting the right engagement is one step closer to empowering the very people that you want to help.

Priya Shah, Founder of BAME in Property and senior account manager, Grayling UK

This article was first published in Inside Housing.

BAME in Property marks International Women's Day 2021

Please note that this article was published prior to the new brand name of PREACH Inclusion® on 25 April 2024, so you will notice references to BAME in Property.

To mark International Women's Day 2021, BAME in Property asked our members, partners and supporters to share their #choosetochallenge photos, which was this year's theme. We were thrilled with the response and throughout March shared the various commitments we all pledged to create a more equal and just society.

A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we're all responsible for our own thoughts and actions - all day, every day.

We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women's achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world.

This year, amidst one year of the COVID-19 lockdown and a global pandemic, IWD felt more important than ever. The pandemic has reversed years of progress society had made with gender equality. Research by PwC has shown that women in the global workforce have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, in being more likely to work in the sectors hardest-hit by the crisis. A United Nations study also found that women have been taking on the brunt of extra childcare and domestic duties since the onset of the pandemic.

COVID recovery strategies must prioritise women, their skills and labour and we should #choosetochallenge those that don’t.

A huge thank you to everyone who got involved. We've made our pledges, what are you choosing to challenge?