Agenda item

The draft Terms of Reference (paper attached) was discussed and Anna King asked the group for comments and additions to the proposed document.

Proposed Objectives: what do we want to achieve

Point 5 – Highlighting opportunities:

·        Jane Carr said that inspirational women and mentoring should be added

·        Liz Carroll-Wheat suggested International Women’s Day (IWD). To include women in businesses and the roles they played in their communities.

·        Public safety of women: Anne Stevens said that they were trying to create safer spaces for women, particularly at night time.

·        Promotion of women’s organisations and projects was also suggested.

·        Zahira Case talked about creating a multi-cultural awareness of different faiths and ways of living.

Anna King suggested some workshops based around the opportunities as mentioned.

Activities

1. Meet every 2 months plus attend International Women’s Day (8 March 2014)

Everyone agreed that meetings to be held bi-monthly and these to be a mixture of day and evening meetings to give everyone the opportunity to attend. (Dates of future meetings are listed below).

2. Virtual engagement – social media

Anna King asked if the group members if they used social media. There was a mixture of responses and she suggested we run a workshop on this. It was also recognised that social media was an additional form of communication alongside the others such as workshops and community events.

Suggestions of workshops included budgeting and health. As there were groups who already delivered some of the training around health, it was agreed to use these rather than starting from new.

3. NBC website page

Discussions took place around the website page and how to make the best use of this. It was acknowledged that it would develop as the Forum moved on. How to link in an events calendar and social media was also discussed.

Pauline Woodhouse asked if NVC could expand their database to include community signposting. Jane said that their remit was with working with groups not individuals. It could be done however there would be a cost in developing the database.

Other discussions included the website front-facing so that it is a simple profile; whether a proposal could be made for a business to develop this; building case studies and sign-posting/forwarding information.

It was agreed to discuss this item at a future meeting.

Representatives

Discussions took place around other groups that could be invited and suggestions included University, Eiman, ASDA and small businesses run by women.

All suggestions of groups and businesses that could be invited to be given to Alice Morgan together with contact details for Avon and WI (if anyone had these). Alice can be contacted on alicemorgan@northampton.gov.uk.

Alice to also follow up the campaign that Avon run.

NCC – Sham Hanif

Sham Hanif is now on maternity leave and Helen Mason is the new contact

at NCC.

Budget

Anna King said that there is a budget for the venue and refreshments. There is £1000 available for International Women’s Day.

Liz Carroll-Wheat said that there are only two people who work for the Events Team at NBC. They can help to facilitate but they are limited in their support and it was about ‘what can you do’.

Kate Scott spoke about their event Women in Action. They are twinned with the Palestinian town Al-Bireh and are making links with this town. They aim to have regular visitors from this town to build friendships, share cultural interests and raise awareness of the difficulties experienced by the Palestinian people. NABPFA can be contacted by email NABPFA@gmail.com.