The BAME Planners Network, in collaboration with the Royal Town Planning Institute, proudly presented the inaugural Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Recognition List 2024 and the esteemed Rhema Dapaah Award at the End of Year Social on 13th December 2024.
This special event celebrated the remarkable achievements of 8 EDI Champions, 8 Rising Stars, and 3 recipients of the Excellence in Mentoring and Role Models recognition. In addition, 1 organisation won the highly esteemed Rhema Dapaah Award and another two are highly recommended. Nominations were open for planners who work in the UK and Ireland and assessed by a panel of judges.
EDI Champions:
Atefeh Motamedi MRTPI
Ian Pennington MRTPI
Ifeanyi Chukwujekwu MRTPI
Jennifer Winyard MRICS MRTPI
Katherine Harrison
Marsha Ramroop
Rajlaxmi Gaware
Shaza Brannon
Rising Stars:
Jordan Martin MRTPI
Muhammad Rajput
Naja Surattee
Nathan Cheung
Rajlaxmi Gaware
Tsz Lok (Jeffrey) Ng MRTPI
Yanny Tsang MRTPI
Zayneb Hussain
Excellence in Mentoring and Role Models:
Artemis Ansell
Jennifer Winyard MRICS MRTPI
Rajlaxmi Gaware
The Rhema Dapaah Award:
This award is presented to an organisation that has demonstrated progress towards achieving diverse and inclusive work practices and workforce or has contributed immensely to EDI in Planning.
Winner: Arup
High Commended: Future of London and RTPI
Explore the full list of winners and their citations here:
In his opening address, Ransford Stewart MBE, the co-chair of the Network, stressed the difficulty of deciding on a winner for the Rhema Dapaah Award: “All of the nominees are making huge strides in advancing equality, diversity and inclusion matters in their organisations and the profession in general. However, our winner’s recent research work, industry thought leadership and best practices in designing inclusive cities for all really impressed the judges and made them the stand-out winners”.
Helen Fadipe MBE, Vice President of the RTPI and Founder and Chair of the Network, reminded us, “We should help each other to rise up within the profession, and as we rise, we should thrive.” She expressed that the RTPI is proud to support the BAME Planners Network in its ongoing mission to promote a more diverse and inclusive planning profession, as this aligns with the change agenda and the corporate strategy of the Institute.
Karen Daye, a steering group member of the BAME Planners Network, added, “It's so important that we give encouragement to our rising stars and that is exactly one of the priorities of the BAME Planners Network. Most of all we need to offer a nurturing environment that supports them and lets them know we see them. I want all of us to think about what we can do to become instrumental in the success of an emerging star.”
Sohan Modi, the Director of Stonehouse Recruitment Group and one of the event's sponsors, shared how his first-generation immigrant parents from Tanzania and India often spoke about the struggles they faced and overcame when establishing a life in a foreign country. They taught him that diversity is not just about representation but about “bringing unique perspectives that enrich our collective experience.”
Gansh Gnanamoorthy, a steering group member of the BAME Planners Network, closed the Awards section of the evening by congratulating all those recognised and pointing out the important role played by those who nominated, supported, and encouraged these individuals and organisations in their success. He encouraged continued support of both the Network and individuals as we move into 2025.
The Network expressed gratitude to Stonehouse Recruitment Group and the RTPI for sponsoring the End of Year Social and heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended. In 2025, we will continue to collaborate with our partners to advance EDI in planning and would like to invite like-minded organisations to reach out for future partnerships.
For more information on joining or supporting the BAME Planners Network, please visit our website: https://www.bameplanners.org/get-invovled
The event photos can be downloaded directly here.
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