Northamptonshire Rights & Equality Council

30/10/2026

Introducing Our New Website..

We are delighted to announce the launch of the newly refreshed website for NORTHAMPTONSHIRE RIGHTS AND EQUALITY COUNCIL (NREC).

Our new website reflects our ongoing commitment to accessibility, inclusion and ensuring that individuals and communities across Northamptonshire can easily find the information and support they need.

Through our work, we continue to provide:

Discrimination Advice & Support – Empowering individuals experiencing discrimination to understand their rights, explore their options and challenge unfair treatment.

Hate Crime & Incident Support – Offering guidance and a supportive environment for individuals and communities affected by hate crimes and incidents.

Immigration Advice – Supporting individuals and families with immigration-related guidance and helping them navigate complex processes.

While our website has evolved, our mission remains unchanged.

We remain committed to promoting equality, protecting human rights, challenging discrimination and building stronger, more inclusive communities.

We invite our partners, stakeholders, supporters and wider community to explore our new website, learn more about our services and discover opportunities to connect and collaborate.

Visit our new website: https://northantsrec.org/

Together, we can continue building a fairer and more inclusive Northamptonshire.

26/10/2026

23/10/2026

COMMUNITY SAFETY INFORMATION | NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

Your safety and wellbeing matter.

Following recent protest activity and reactions within the community, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE RIGHTS AND EQUALITY COUNCIL (NREC) would like to encourage everyone across Northamptonshire to remain vigilant, stay calm and look out for one another.

We recognise that recent events may have caused concern among residents and communities. At times like these, it is important that we come together, promote understanding and ensure that everyone feels safe and supported.

We encourage everyone to:

🛑 Be aware of your surroundings – Remain alert and prioritise your personal safety.

🛑Look out for one another – Support neighbours, colleagues, friends and anyone who may feel vulnerable.

🛑 Avoid confrontation – Respect the right to peaceful and lawful protest while ensuring that safety remains a priority.

🛑Report any concerns – If you experience or witness threatening behaviour, harassment or intimidation, report it to Northamptonshire Police.

How NREC can help

Northamptonshire Rights & Equality Council (NREC) can provide assistance to individuals who need support in reporting concerns to Northamptonshire Police.

We are committed to promoting equality, protecting rights and supporting safer, more inclusive communities across Northamptonshire.

Important contact numbers:

📞 999 – If you are in immediate danger.

📞 101 – For non-emergency police matters.

Everyone deserves to feel safe, respected and valued, regardless of their background, identity or circumstances.

Community safety is a shared responsibility. Together, we can build stronger, safer and more inclusive communities.

Stay aware. Stay safe. Stand together.

23/10/2026

COMING SOON! EXCITING NEWS FROM NORTHAMPTONSHIRE RIGHTS AND EQUALITY COUNCIL (NREC)...

We’re thrilled to announce that we’ll soon be launching our brand-new website!

The Northamptonshire Rights & Equality Council (NREC) is getting a fresh new look and feel, with a modern, updated design that will make it easier than ever to explore who we are, what we do, and how we can support you.

We can’t wait to share it with you.

Watch this space… something exciting is on its way...

22/10/2026

We've had decades of race equality legislation. So why does racial inequality still persist?

It's a question worth asking — particularly for those of us working in leadership, education, public services, community development, HR and equality, diversity and inclusion.

Legislation has played a vital role in protecting rights and challenging discrimination. But passing laws is only one part of creating a genuinely fair and inclusive society.

What can history teach us about the changes we still need to make?

To mark Black History Month 2026, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE RIGHTS AND EQUALITY COUNCIL (NREC) invites you to:

History of Race Legislation. Time for Change.

A lecture with Steve Stephenson, MBE, BA, CQSW, DM

Steve is an award-winning social justice advocate, human rights campaigner and academic whose career has spanned decades of work in local government, race equality and community empowerment.

Why attend? What will you gain?

🔴 Historical understanding: Explore the development of race legislation and its significance in shaping modern Britain.

🔴 A real-world perspective: Consider the difference between legal protections and the lived experiences of individuals and communities.

🔴 Lessons from experience: Hear insights informed by Steve's decades of work challenging discrimination and promoting human rights.

🔴 Food for thought and action: Reflect on how the lessons of the past can inform the decisions we make today in our workplaces, institutions and communities.

This event is relevant not only to those working in equality and human rights, but to anyone interested in leadership, social justice, public policy and creating positive change.

Saturday 31 October 2026

2:00 PM – 3:15 PM

The Friends Meeting House, Northampton, NN1 3AS

Reserve your place:

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/northamptonshirerightsandequalitycouncil/2427581

Understanding the history is important. Learning how to shape the future is what makes it relevant.

Join us for an opportunity to listen, learn and reflect.

16/10/2026

As part of National Hate Crime Awareness Week we shared Creative Resistance to Hate Trauma Packs with our friends at Kettering Refugee Centre 🤩 If your group would like to book a free Creativity session, please contact us https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/8DpkyaKrwK

14/10/2026

For Desborough Women's Self Defence Group, we presented a Hate Crime Awareness session. We got a lot of 🥰🥰🥰

13/10/2026

🔴 Our Show Racism the Red Card T-shirts have arrived – and we're ready for Friday🔴

There's a real sense of excitement at NORTHAMPTONSHIRE RIGHTS AND EQUALITY COUNCIL (NREC) today as our Show Racism the Red Card T-shirts have arrived. We're looking forward to wearing them this Friday and standing alongside organisations, schools and communities across the country in saying NO to racism.

For us at NREC, this campaign is particularly meaningful.

Through our hate crime and incident support services, we see the very real impact that racism, prejudice and discrimination have on people's lives. We understand how difficult it can be for someone to speak out when they've experienced hate, and how important it is that they know they are not alone.

Our work is about ensuring people have a voice, feel supported and can access the help they need. It's also about challenging discrimination, raising awareness and working towards communities where everyone feels safe, respected and included.

That's why matters to us.

It's more than wearing a red T-shirt. It's about making a visible commitment to equality, encouraging conversations, challenging harmful attitudes and reminding people that we all have a part to play in tackling racism.

Every conversation, every act of solidarity and every challenge to discrimination helps move us towards a fairer, more inclusive society.

❤️ A special thank you to Show Racism the Red Card for the incredibly quick delivery of our T-shirts. We're delighted to be supporting such an important campaign.

Let's stand together, celebrate our diversity and continue working towards a future free from racism.

🔴 Will you be wearing red this Friday?🔴

10/10/2026

🌍 **World Mental Health Day | 10 October**

Today, on World Mental Health Day, we at Northamptonshire Rights and Equality Council (NREC) want to share a simple but important message:

**Please look after your mental health.**

We never truly know what someone else is going through. Every day, people around us are facing personal challenges, carrying emotional burdens and dealing with struggles that may not be visible to others.

In today's world, there is so much happening around us. For those of us working to challenge racism, fight discrimination, advocate for justice and create a more equal society, the work can sometimes feel relentless.

We see injustice. We hear difficult stories. We stand alongside people experiencing inequality and discrimination. We continue to speak out, challenge systems and push for meaningful change.

And while this work is incredibly important, **we must also recognise the emotional toll it can take.**

At NREC, we believe that looking after our own wellbeing is just as important as the work we do to support others.

We cannot pour from an empty cup. We cannot continue to support our communities, challenge injustice and fight for equality without also taking care of ourselves.

So, whatever today brings, we encourage you to take a moment for yourself.

Take time to rest. Reach out if you need support. Check in with someone. Give yourself permission to step away when things feel overwhelming.

And above all, remember that **you do not have to be strong every single day.**

Caring for your mental health is not a sign of weakness. It is an essential part of building the strength, resilience and compassion we need to continue making a difference.

**The fight for equality matters. The fight for justice matters. But so do you.**

Today and every day, let's remember to show ourselves the same kindness, understanding and compassion that we strive to show others.

**From everyone at NREC, take care of yourself and each other.**

10/10/2026

**Today is World Mental Health Day.**

At Northamptonshire Rights and Equality Council (NREC) Northants REC ,we want to remind everyone just how important it is to look after your mental health.

**Everyone is fighting a battle that we may know nothing about.** Behind every smile, every conversation and every face, there may be struggles that are hidden from plain view.

The world we live in today can feel overwhelming. We are constantly fighting for justice, challenging racism, standing up against discrimination and pushing for equality. This work is important, but it can also be emotionally exhausting.

Sometimes, in our determination to stand up for others, we forget to look after ourselves.

**But we cannot continue to fight for change if we don’t take care of ourselves first.** ❤️

So today, whatever you are doing, please take a moment for YOU.

🌿 Take a break.
💚 Breathe.
💜 Speak to someone.
🌍 Be kind to yourself.
🤝 Remember that you don’t have to carry everything alone.

Looking after your mental health is not selfish. It is necessary.

**Your mental health matters. Your wellbeing matters. YOU matter.**

From all of us at NREC, please look after yourselves and each other. 💚💜