History of CHAWREC

History of CHAWREC

We have been in existence since 1995, so that’s over twenty five years of experience that we can call on. During that time we have developed and changed to become the organisation we are today.  

The 90s

This decade saw the Commission for Racial Equality support the organisation to become a fully fledged Racial Equality Council. We received funding to employ our first chief officer as well as securing Lottery funding for a Community Development Team.  

The Noughties

The CRE continued to provide support, expanding its funding to enable us to offer a fully funded race discrimination casework service in 2000. We also became a charity in 2001. 
2003 saw the murder of Johnny Delaney, a 15 year old Traveller in Ellesmere Port and propelled us into working more with Gypsies and Travellers. We also secured funding from the Home Office to run a really successful project - Connecting Communities – a helping to increase BME representation in employment
2007 Report into the BME third sector conducted with Change Up monies ‘Reaching Out’
Report into Gypsy & Traveller needs conducted with Change Up monies ‘Here to Stay’
Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC) takes over from the legacy commissions including the CRE
2008 Secured funding from Capacity Builders for a three year project to strengthen BME community organisations
2009 Change of name to Cheshire, Halton & Warrington Race & Equality Centre
CHAWREC holds conference ‘Community Cohesion not just an urban issue’
2010 Start of Schools Stand Up 2 Racism – Big Lottery funded research project
Equality Act 2010 comes into force
CHAWREC expands casework into all areas of discrimination

2010 onwards....

2011 CHAWREC opens the Unity Centre and Heritage Lottery Fund funds ‘Journeys to Cheshire’ a 12 month oral history project
2012 EHRC ends legal grants programme & so CHAWREC starts discrimination casework service as chargeable service
2013 Launch of findings from Stand Up 2 Racism project
2014 Launch of BME Mapping Report of Cheshire West & Chester
2016 Refugees arrive in West Cheshire through the Vulnerable Person’s Resettlement Scheme
2017 Became registered with Ascentis to offer ESOL qualifications
2018 Secured funding from Brightlife to open a Community Cafe in the Unity Centre and from the Home Office Building a Stronger Britain to support work around anti extremism
2019 Secured OISC registration to offer immigration advice
2019 secured funding from the Co-Op Space to Connect programme for the Unity Centre development

2020 and beyond

Watch this space!
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