Gabby Austen-Browne , co-founder , Diversity Ally , says whilst London ’ s diversity demonstrates the best of Britain , some communities are missed

eing British is not about whether you were born here , or whether your parents were born here . For me , being British is that common bond and sense of pride we have around the diverse , yet collective , identities that make up our country .

Perhaps I am biased , but to me , our capital city demonstrates the very best of Britain . I love how welcoming it is to diverse communities and believe it is all the better for it .

London is the most multicultural city in Europe , where more than 200 languages are spoken , with communities from all around the world and from all walks of life , choosing to make the capital city their home .

Without a doubt , these communities have contributed to its growth and success , filtering this success to the rest of the UK .

“ In today ' s modern world , I truly believe it ' s our differences that bring us together and make us stronger .”

As a country , we can be proud of how great we are at celebrating our diverse communities and cultural differences . Whether that ’ s through dancing on the streets and behind floats during Notting Hill Carnival , or proudly displaying rainbow flags during Pride in support of our LGBTQ + communities , or by throwing colourful paint at each other during Holi Festival . In today ’ s modern world , I truly believe it ’ s our differences that bring us together and make us stronger .

Our responsibility But there ’ s one community that can often be missed and it ’ s those with disabilities and accessibility needs .

About one in seven people are disabled , which equates to 15 % of the global population . This not only includes visible disabilities , such as wheelchair users , it also includes invisible impairments , like bipolar disorder , and cognitive ones such as learning disabilities , Autism , or dyslexia , as well as physical ones like diabetes , cancer or HIV / AIDS .

Unfortunately , disabled people continue to face barriers when attending events and in wider society . Yes , there are ongoing

Gabby Austen-Browne , co-founder , Diversity Ally

improvements in access for those with physical disabilities , particularly with regards to the transport networks , but more needs to be done within our venues , because venues have a responsibility and a duty of care to be accessible . There are many venues doing great things around accessibility , including the Barbican , Royal Museums Greenwich and Wembley Stadium .

Over the next few years we , as a sector , are going to need to work hard to take the edge off the impact of the pandemic and Brexit , and it will be more important than ever to encourage visitors and event organisers from around the world to hold events in the UK .

Of course , a large part of this will be about showing we champion diversity and are inclusive , but also that we are accessible .

l If you ’ d like to know more about how you can make your events and venues more accessible , contact Gabby Austen-Browne on : gabby @ diversityally . co . uk