Event

Event

The Great Cross-Party Get Together

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The Labour and Conservative Women’s Parliamentary Staff Networks invite you to

The Great Cross-Party Get Together – with Kim Leadbeater MP
(aerobics class)
Time: 8:30am – 9:15am
Date: 8 December 2021

Following the covid-19 pandemic and tragic murder of Sir David Amess MP we wanted to do something to bring everyone together in a safe way to spend some light-hearted time together and would be delighted if you could join us.

This aerobics class is open to all MPs, Peers and their staff and we hope you can join in with your team. You’ll be pleased to know that lycra is not compulsory but fancy dress is welcome!

Please sign up via https://forms.gle/JJiogrvnRuuPwHUr9

Men’s Mental Health Day Event – 8 December 2021

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*REMINDER*

Health & Wellbeing Learning Hub

To mark the end of Movember and International Men’s Day (19 November), we invite you to join us for a live panel discussion where we will explore the topic of men’s mental health.

Mental health continues to be a taboo subject for men, with many suffering in silence when they experience sadness, loneliness and anxiety.

We will talk to colleagues about the “silent crisis” of men’s mental health and the challenges men face when opening up about their feelings.

We invite you to join the discussion and show your support.

Join us on Wednesday 8 December, 11.30am – 12.30pm. Sign-up here.

Members’ Services Fair

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Please note that links to the old Parliamentary intranet have been removed as of October 2023. Please use search on ParliNet to find relevant current details, if available.

https://parlinet.parliament.uk/house-of-commons-members-staff/

The Members’ Services Fair continues today and tomorrow in Portcullis House.

A few remaining places are available for Members and Members’ Staff to join special Doorkeeper tours, which will take you to key business areas around the House. Doorkeepers will be able to answer any questions you may have about access or finding your way around Parliament.

Places are also available on a drop-in basis – please visit the Members’ Services Team desk in the PCH Atrium or ask Ross, Adrian, Kieron, Chris or Aaron from the Doorkeeper team to check availability.

Tours will depart regularly from the PCH Atriumand will take approximately 30 minutes. Each tour group will be limited to five people.

The Members’ Services Fair has been arranged as an opportunity for you to learn more about the support, services and facilities available to you. Staff representing teams including the Digital Service, Members’ security, IPSA and HR will be on hand in the Atrium and Attlee Suite in PCH to answer any questions you have, provide an introduction to the services and facilities available to you and provide resources and further information.

If you would like to arrange to visit the Fair at a specific time or to speak to a particular service, please contact the Members’ Services Team by emailing mst@parliament.uk.

The Great Cross-Party Get Together

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Wednesday 8 December 2021
8.30am to 9.15am

We are delighted that Kim Leadbeater MP will be leading an aerobics class for this Winter’s Great Cross-Party Get Together for all MPs, Peers and their staff from all political parties.

The event will be online and is being hosted by the Labour Women’s Parliamentary Staff Network and the Conservative Women’s Parliamentary Staff Network in partnership with the Jo Cox Foundation.

You’ll be delighted to know that lycra is not mandatory but fancy dress is acceptable!

Please note the time of the session above.

StrongMen Charity – Bereavement & Mental Health Support for Men

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StrongMen Charity – Bereavement & Mental Health Support for Men
Tuesday 23rd November at 3pm

Dan Cross and Efrem Brynin are the founders of national bereavement charity, “StrongMen”. The charity supports men aged 18+ who have suffered mental and physical health issues as a result of losing a loved one.

Dan & Efrem met after taking part in Channel 4 show SAS Who Dares Wins and formed the charity based on their experiences of recovering from their own bereavements. They will be talking about their stories and how they recovered, using a mix of physical activity & challenging their own perceptions of male strength in order to accept critical support to aid recovery from life threatening physical and mental health problems.

StrongMen are affiliated with:
• Alpine F1
• The Club Group
• NUMAN
• Hot Headz
• Brighton FC
• Watford FC.
And Partnered with:
• Child Bereavement UK
• Meningitis Now
• MIND

If you would like to attend, please email the Wellness Working Group.

The Immigration Act 1971: Celebrated or Flawed?

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On 30 September 2021, Gresham College broadcast a 1-hour lecture by Professor Leslie Thomas QC and David Neale.

It’s really worth watching as it gives an excellent background to the history of Britain’s immigration law which will be of interest to anyone who works as an MP’s caseworker, particularly those who process immigration casework.

Here’s the lecture summary:

“Commonwealth citizens once enjoyed the right to live, work and settle in the UK without any restrictions. But a racist backlash against Black and Asian immigration led to legislators introducing immigration controls in the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962, which were broadened by the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1968 to deprive East African Asians of the right to settle in the UK. Its shameful successor, the Immigration Act 1971 continues to form the basis of our xenophobic immigration laws today.”

You can watch the lecture on Gresham College’s website here: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/immigration-act

No Panic – Understanding Anxiety Disorders

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Time: 13:30pm
Date: Wednesday 20th October
Venue: Online

No Panic is a registered charity that helps and supports those living with Panic Attacks, Phobias, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders and other related anxiety disorders. No Panic also provides support for the carers of people who suffer from anxiety disorders.

One of the charity No Panic patron’s will be hosting an interactive and engaging talk on the background of No Panic, understanding anxious thoughts and anxiety disorders, chatting through their own lived experience of anxiety disorders and practical ways you can develop your own self-care strategies?

Please RSVP to mpsstaff-wwg@parliament.uk

Advantages of a Caring Culture – Kirstie Hawton, Octopus Group

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Time: 10:00
Date: Friday 1 October 2021
Where: MS Teams

Kirstie has revolutionised the culture at Octopus by putting employees wellbeing, mental health and gratitude at the forefront of everything they do.  

Come along to hear how Kirstie made this change and to get some tips on how we can look after ourselves, our colleagues and our offices during these particularly troubling times.

Please email mpsstaff-wwg@parliament.uk to register

Hollie Gazzard Trust and MSSS talk on personal safety

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This is an event from the Wellness Working Group

Wednesday 14 July 14
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Nick Gazzard from the Hollie Gazzard Trust talking to the group about Hollie’s story and the work of the Trust. He will be joined by Neil Cahalin from Member Security Services at the House to speak about available personal security measures available through Parliament.

About the Hollie Gazzard Trust:

Hollie Gazzard was murdered by her former partner following domestic abuse and stalking at the age of 20. Hollie’s dad, Nick is determined to raise awareness and help educate other of these issues and what this can lead to using Hollie’s tragedy as a way of getting the message across. He will explain in detail what happened to Hollie, how he turned this awful tragedy into something positive with the creation of the Hollie Gazzard Trust as Hollie’s legacy. A key aim of the Trust is prevention and he will speak about Hollie Guard a personal safety app that has now been downloaded over 50,000 times, along with the development of Hollie Guard Extra. He will finish with a Q&A session and will answer any question about what happened to Hollie, how this has affected him as a father and the family, along with the topics of domestic abuse and stalking.

RSVP to mpsstaff-wwg@parliament.uk

National Audit Office (NAO) / Education Team

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This is a briefing / Q&A session from the Members’ Services Team.

National Audit Office (NAO) / Education Team

The National Audit Office is the nation’s independent spending watchdog. It reports to, and is funded by, Parliament to value for money reports on subjects ranging from HS2, Defence contracts, local authority finances, Covid-19, to environmental sustainability. In this session, Adrian Jenner and Sadie Smith from the NAO will give a brief overview on how they can assist Members’ staff with queries on major programmes and Departmental spending, and point them in the direction of resources which can assist with drafting speeches, briefing papers, articles, and constituency correspondence.

We will also hear from the Education and Engagement Outreach Team who do brilliant work organising events, tours and activities to promote the work of Parliament. They will provide an update on their work and give details of activities to help Members’ offices better engage with their constituencies.

If you would like to register a question ahead of the event, please email MST@parliament.uk. You will also be given the opportunity to ask questions during the session.

10:00 – 11:00
Tuesday 13 July 2021

To register, please go here: https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/view.php?id=4536