At:Bu – A day dedicated to inclusion, wellbeing and being yourself

Made up of team members from across the organisation, the event created intentional space for reflection, openness and collaboration – with a focus on inclusion, belonging, wellbeing and shaping the future together.

The day began with reflections on the purpose and progress of At:Bu, reinforcing Achieve together’s ongoing commitment to creating an inclusive culture where people feel valued, supported and able to be their authentic selves at work.

Conversations explored themes including trust, transparency, representation and progression, with colleagues sharing lived experiences and discussing how organisations can create environments where everyone feels they belong and can thrive in leadership and beyond.

A key highlight of the day was a guest session from menopause and hormone health advocate Claire Snowdon Darling, who shared both personal insight and practical guidance on supporting people experiencing menopause.

The session explored:

• What menopause is and how it can affect people over many years
• The wide range of physical, emotional and cognitive symptoms
• The impact of modern stress levels on menopause experiences
• How colleagues and organisations can offer meaningful support

The afternoon focused on inclusive wellbeing, healthy lifestyles and cultural competence. Colleagues explored how their work connects to wider national health priorities and the importance of enabling people to live healthy, meaningful lives.

Achieve together’s Unity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Leads also shared work around cultural competence, including research into the experiences of people with learning disabilities from Black African, Caribbean and South Asian communities. Practical resources such as easy read materials and conversation cards were highlighted as tools to support culturally informed care.

Lisa Cole, Chief People Officer at Achieve together, said:

“This group works because we have the support of people representing different roles, areas of the organisation, backgrounds and experiences – all with the shared passion to make a difference and enable every person in this organisation to be themselves and be their best self.”

Natasha Woolley, Recruitment Manager, added:

“I am so proud of At:Bu and what we do. It’s things like this that show we all have purpose, meaning and genuinely want to make a difference. When I look back to when I joined Achieve together nine years ago, it has changed so much for the better and I couldn’t be prouder to talk about what we do.”

Amir Khodavirdipour, Home Manager, said:

“It was a genuine pleasure to be part of the At:Bu meeting. Gemma was truly exceptional and chaired the meeting with remarkable professionalism, warmth, and attention to detail. The atmosphere was welcoming, collaborative, and engaging, allowing everyone, myself included, to openly share ideas, perspectives, and aspirations for the continued growth and future success of our valued organisation.“

A huge thank you to everyone who attended, contributed and shared so openly throughout the day, and to all presenters for bringing conversations around identity, inclusion, wellbeing and belonging to life in such a human and authentic way.

Special thanks to Gemma Belcher, our Learning and Development Manager, for organising the event and bringing team members together.

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