Hexham Canoe Club – Tyne Tour
Single Equality Policy
Date Written: September 2022
Date to Reviewed: September 2023
This Single Equality Policy brings together our approach for promoting equality at the Tyne Tour.
It is based on the 2010 Equality Act and as such is focussed clearly around the 9 Protected Characteristics and our statutory duties in relation to the 9 Protected Characteristics:
1) Age
2) Disability
3) Gender reassignment
4) Marriage and Civil Partnership
5) Pregnancy and Maternity
6) Race
7) Religion or belief
8) Sex
9) Sexual orientation
The Equality Act became law in 2010. It covers everyone in Britain and protects people from discrimination, harassment and victimisation.
The Protected Characteristics cover everyone attending the Tyne Tour.
It is essential that we eliminate discrimination and harassment for these equality areas
1) Age – We must ensure that we do not discriminate on the grounds of an individual’s age.
2) Disability – The general duty to promote disability equality is owed to all disabled people which means that we must have due regard to:
i) Promote equality of opportunity between people who have a disability and other people.
ii) Eliminate unlawful discrimination.
iii) Eliminate disability related harassment.
iv) Promote positive attitudes towards people who have a disability.
v) Encourage participation of people with a disability in public life.
vi) Take steps to take account of peoples’ disabilities, even where that involves treating people with a disability more favourably than other people.
vii) What do we understand by “disability”? “Disability is a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities” (DDA 1995 Part 1 para. 1.1.) This definition was amended and broadened in December 2005 under the 2005 Disability Amendment Act:
• People with cancer or surviving cancer are now included, as are people with HIV and Multiple Sclerosis from the point of diagnosis
• For a mental impairment the need for it to be clinically well recognised has been removed.
The Tyne Tour (HCC) uses the “social model” of disability: This model says that “it is the world and society that creates barriers that limit or prevent disabled people from enjoying the same opportunities as people who are not disabled”.
We must ensure that people with a disability do not receive less favourable treatment and to do this the Tyne Tour has a duty to make reasonable adjustments.
3) Gender Reassignment – are explicitly covered by the gender equality duty. The term transgender refers to a range of people who do not feel comfortable with their birth gender. We must ensure that we do not discriminate on the grounds of an individual’s current gender. We include the term Transgender in this policy.
4) Marriage and Civil Partnership – We must ensure that we do not discriminate on the grounds of an individual’s relationship with another individual, whether it be through Marriage or Civil partnership.
5) Pregnancy and Maternity – We must ensure that we do not discriminate on the grounds of an individual, through Pregnancy and/or Maternity.
6) Race – The general duty to promote race equality means that we must have due regard to:
i) Eliminate unlawful racial discrimination
ii) Promote equality of opportunity
iii) Promote good relations between people of different racial groups.
7) Religion or Belief – We must ensure that we do not discriminate on the grounds of an individual’s Religion or Belief.
8) Sex (Gender) equality – The general duty to promote gender equality means that we must have due regard to:
i) Eliminate unlawful discrimination and harassment.
ii) Promote equality of opportunity between men and women, girls and boys.
9) Sexual orientation – We must ensure that we do not discriminate on the grounds of an individual’s sexual orientation.
British Canoeing
WePaddleTogether Commitments
British Canoeing believe that everyone should be able to access and enjoy paddlesports, regardless of their identity, background or circumstances, whether they wish to paddle recreationally, represent their Country on the world stage, or give back to the community through coaching or volunteering. For us, equality, diversity and inclusion are integral to our organisational values:
• Every person matters
• Striving for excellence
• Always with integrity
• Enjoying the journey
• Individually committed
• Stronger together
Equality involves changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to all members of society as well as ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to realise their talent and full potential. We recognise that this has not always been the case in paddling, and we are committed to working to change this.
British Canoeing believes that we are a stronger paddlesport community when #WePaddleTogether, which is why as an organisation, we are committed to ongoing work to create equal access to paddlesport, championing diversity in all paddling spheres, and creating inclusive paddling settings for all. We will ensure that equality, diversity and inclusion is embedded in our strategy, Stronger Together, committing to addressing these topics across our ambitions.
Tyne Tour Paddlesport specific issues.
All paddlesport activity is considered as ‘a risk assumed activity’.
Issues of safety are paramount and reasonable adjustments will be made where appropriate and possible in order to meet the needs and personal objectives of participants in the Tyne Tour.
All participants, regardless of the 9 Protected Characteristics, will be operating at a level commensurate with their level of ability, training and experience in relation to the current weather and environmental conditions. They will also be expected to operate safely for themselves and others. Reasonable amendments will always be assessed in relation to the individual’s safety and the safety of those around them.
The Tyne Tour is committed to promoting paddlesport for all those that attend this event.