Publish date: 2 October 2025
With the theme ‘Standing Firm in Power and Pride’, this year’s Black History Month celebrates the resilience and commitment to progress that defines Black communities, whilst highlighting the amazing contributions made by Black people as leaders, activists or pioneers. Their legacy is a reminder that true power comes from collective strength, courage and unity and Mersey Care's Multi-Ethnic Colleague Network (MECN) is central to the organisation’s commitment to anti-racism and inclusion, enabling every member of staff to thrive.
More than 1,000 people working for the Trust come from multi-ethnic backgrounds and the MECN is open to anyone interested in helping to improve inclusion and create a sense of belonging.
Longstanding members of the network Solomon Gwatidzo, Senior Clinical Nurse, and Roderick Thebe, Charge Nurse, took over as co-chairs in December 2024 alongside their clinical roles. During both their 20+ year careers at Mersey Care, they have each seen progress and improvements but make it clear there is still much work that can be done to make sure everyone is included.
Solomon explains. “The purpose of the network is to create a supportive environment for staff and to celebrate the diversity of our workforce. We promote equality of opportunity within the Trust and highlight the needs and inequalities that influence how our services can be improved to meet the needs of the communities we serve. It’s a safe space for people to share experiences and work towards bringing about change. Ongoing communication with the Board enables us to work collaboratively towards achieving Mersey Care’s vision of zero racism and discriminatory behaviours.”
Discussing race can be uncomfortable, but vital. Roderick adds, “I've gone through challenges as a Black person. So, I'm saying to people the challenges are there, let's talk about them. The only way we can resolve issues is through engagement.”
Find out more about the Multi-Ethnic Colleague Network and Black History Month 2025 on YourSpace.
