Students have been putting the spotlight on respect at SRC Bede Sixth Form and The Skills Academy.

Part of Stockton Riverside College’s annual Respect Festival, students took part in a range of fun and informative sessions with everything from African drumming to talks on body image and mental health.

“The festival aims to promote equality and diversity within our own society, bringing people together to learn from each other and encourage mutual respect,” said Student Services Manager, Julie Wilson.

Students at SRC Bede Sixth Form also helped show their support by braving the mud to take part in a fun Respect Run.

“The idea behind the run was to help raise awareness of equality and diversity for all,” said Geography teacher Andrew Featherstone.

Around 50 students made a small donation to tackle the two kilometre race, with funds raised going to The Albert Kennedy Trust, a charity supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans homeless young people in crisis.

Visitors to the College’s Billingham sites included the youth service Know Your Money – Keep the Change (KYM), the Eastern Ravens Trust, the National Citizen Service (NCS), MoreLife, CRI Stockton Recovery Service, musician Hilaire Agnama from OASES North East – Global Learning and Cultures CIC’s Sade Sangowawa.

Sade, who works with people from BME, immigrant and refugee communities, helping to improve their employment prospects, said: “Working with young people I am a strong believer in equality and diversity and Stockton Riverside College’s Respect Festival feeds in to that ethos.

“The key message is about respecting people irrespective of things like colour, culture, whether someone speaks English, or has a disability.”

Watch out for the Respect Festival coming to Stockton Riverside College’s Teesdale campus this February.

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