We were proud to join the thousands of Sheffield people in Devonshire Green last Saturday afternoon to be part of the Black Lives Matter demonstration against discrimination and injustice.

Showroom Workstation has a responsibility to lead by example, and we are aware we’ve been fairly silent over the last few weeks. We didn’t want to rush to say or promise anything, without clarity on what we can do.

Black Lives Matter to Showroom Workstation. We support the movement and we support all that is taking place globally to demand lasting changes to society and to finally eradicate racism in the world.

As an organisation, we are committed to doing more and contributing to the fight against all forms of discrimination. We are accredited as an Investor in Diversity and have sought to build anti-discrimination into the heart of our organisation’s aims and objectives.

Our board of trustees and senior staff are committed to ensuring that our organisation is as diverse as possible, improving our employment and recruitment practices and actively working to make our programmes accessible to all of Sheffield’s communities. We want the films we show to reflect the diversity of our world and the society we live in.

Watching footage from protests and events taking place throughout the country over the last week, and witnessing the strength in the passion and dedication of communities joining together, is something we do not want to lose or forget about.

Although the lockdown has left us closed, with very little in the way of resources, this matter is no less important to us. We are committed to doing better and are taking this time to review and strengthen our practices. We will take this opportunity to learn and openly evaluate what we do and how we work. Together with our staff, partners, and audiences we will find ways to do more, both internally and externally and to make and promote lasting change.