Records of the Central Berkshire Equal Opportunities Group

Minutes (1976-1978).

The collection is open for consultation. Intending readers are advised to contact The Women's Library in advance of their first visit.

The first meeting of the Central Berkshire Equal Opportunities Committee took place in Wokingham on the 8th January 1976. It was a non-party organisation with the following aims: to spread knowledge of recent legislation in the field, to foster awareness of the issues involved in public and private life, to monitor locally the implementation of the new legislation and to help individuals who wished to take advantage of the provisions of the new law. It soon changed its name to the Central Berkshire Equal Opportunities Group on the advice of the Equal Opportunities Commission. The group undertook a series of activities, including providing a panel of speakers to local groups such as the Round Table, the Women's Register and the local branch of the Labour Party. Additionally, it undertook publicity for itself and its aims through radio and newspaper interviews and leaflets and organised an exhibition of photographs on the working lives of women. The main part of its work, however, was responding to government consultative documents, liasing with local authority schools and careers officers to assess the impact of the legislation, and assisting with the establishment of a local branch of the Citizen's Advice Bureau. They were only able to assist in one individual case before ending their activities some time in late 1978 due to declining attendance.