The Shout-Up! campaign, an initiative by Newcastle City Council to eradicate sexual harassment in nightlife, continues to thrive. This year, 12 venues have renewed their certification, while two additional venues have joined, increasing the total number of certified Shout-Up! venues in the city to 56.

Venues recertifying include popular destinations such as Alvinos, Colonel Porter’s, Cosy Joes, Cumberland Arms, Holy Hobo, Newcastle Students’ Union, Northumbria Students’ Union, The Cluny, The Empress, The Lubber Fiend, and Wonderbar/Newgate Street Social.

The Cluny and Cumberland Arms hold a special place in the campaign’s history as they were among the very first venues to adopt Shout-Up! when it launched in 2017.

Dawn Bowman, Helpline & Volunteer Coordinator and Shout-Up! Lead for Rape Crisis Tyneside and Northumberland, spoke about the significance of these recertifications: “For eight years, The Cluny and Cumberland Arms have been committed to making their spaces sexual harassment-free. Their recertification for an additional two years highlights their unwavering dedication to creating safe, inclusive environments. They continue to serve as beacons of best practice and role models for others in Newcastle’s nighttime economy.”

Steve Brown, Manager of The Cluny, reinforced the importance of the initiative: “It’s important for us to be involved in the Shout-Up! programme as it takes measures to ensure the staff and clientele are safeguarded. This means our team knows what to look out for and when to intervene to prevent and eliminate any potential sexual harassment or other incidents.”

The newly certified venues in 2024 include Bobby’s, Mushroom, and the historic Beehive pub. These establishments have embraced the programme’s mission to create spaces free from harassment. So far, 1,196 individuals working in Newcastle’s nighttime economy have completed Shout-Up! training, highlighting the city’s collective commitment to addressing sexual harassment.

Bethany, General Manager at Bobby’s, shared their enthusiasm for joining the campaign: “Being a part of Shout-Up! is vital to us as a business, and a community, as it promotes a safe place for individuals to enjoy themselves without fear of being harassed. Sexual harassment should not be normalised, and we actively aim to play a part in changing the narrative that allows sexual harassment to be normalised.”

To become ‘Shout-Up! certified bars, clubs, pubs and music promoters must:

• Ensure all staff complete Bystander Intervention Training, meaning they know what to look out for and how to intervene safely
• Write and share sexual harassment policies that protect staff and patrons
• Have a publicly available procedure for dealing with incidents of sexual harassment
• Commit to making their venue a sexual harassment-free zone
• Display visible signage explaining their participation in the scheme and what patrons can expect to happen in the event of sexual harassment
• Commit to undertake six-monthly reviews on policies, procedures and training to retain certification.

Dawn Bowman highlighted the importance of the campaign’s progress: “We’re proud of the long-term commitment that Newcastle City Council continues to make nights out in Newcastle safer for everyone.

“We’ve now trained over 1,196 people who work in bars, pubs, and clubs in the city to give them more knowledge about how sexual harassment can impact people, places, and reputation and give them the skills to intervene safely and effectively.

“Every person working in the nighttime economy is key to making sure our city is a safe place to party and have fun, so to have the support of 56 certified venues now is important in making our zero-tolerance approach a reality and demonstrating that safety is a collective responsibility.”

Shout-Up! originated in Newcastle upon Tyne in 2017, and has gone on to support venues and venue staff in Northamptonshire and Torbay.

Councillor Lesley Storey, Newcastle City Council’s Cabinet member for children and families, said: “Newcastle is a safe and welcoming place, and we want to ensure it stays that way.

“We have a thriving night-time economy and it is important that everyone can enjoy themselves without the fear of sexual harassment or violence.

“We are proud to fund the Shout Up! scheme as part of our work to tackle violence against women and girls and know that, along with our wider efforts to train staff in the hospitality, taxi and security industries, it helps keep people safe and reduces vulnerability.

“The premises who take part are setting a great example to other licensees and we would encourage others to join them in helping staff spot the signs of and prevent harassment by safely challenging those people whose behaviour is unacceptable.”

Licensed venues in Newcastle upon Tyne who have yet to become Shout-Up! certified are encouraged to sign-up on the website. The scheme is free for bars, pubs and clubs in the city.

For more information visit shoutup.org/newcastle-upon-tyne

A manufacturing boss whose business makes machinery for global brands shared his thoughts on industry skills gaps and the breadth of work available to British manufacturers with his local MP.

Grant McGeever, managing director of Rospen Industries in Haslingden, welcomed Hyndburn MP Sarah Smith to his factory to meet staff and view orders being worked on (pictured).

During the tour, Ms Smith viewed a £2 million order of dosing machinery built for Cavendish Nuclear, which will assist with the UK’s decommissioning targets.

Grant, who took over as managing director from his father, Tony, in 2023, told Ms Smith that the future is bright for the manufacturing sector as demand for British-made products soars. And he said there is potential for even more growth, but only with the right skills.

Grant said: “One of the hardest parts of running a manufacturing business is recruitment. We have some fantastic talent within the business and there’s enough work available out there to be able to grow even further if we have more people entering the manufacturing industry.

“We want people with the right skills who are committed to staying with Rospen and helping us grow together.”

The business, which specialises in machinery for the food, chemical and wastewater sectors, welcomed the MP to tour its factory and meet staff to discuss the opportunities in their sector and any challenges they face.

Rospen’s equipment is made for diverse uses, from handling the nougat that goes into Toblerone and the flavourings for crisps, as well as for dosing at wastewater treatment sites.

The business, which employs 50 people, partners with Burnley College to offer apprenticeships and Grant said other businesses have a responsibility to do what they can to boost skills in the sector.

He said: “Our supply chain is made up of local businesses, so we support jobs in the community beyond Rospen, which is why I don’t want to outsource abroad.

“We employ apprentices on a HNC and then we fund them to go onto the HND, which we believe is the right thing to do and it means they have the skills the business needs. I think if other manufacturers did the same – paid for that extra qualification, as an industry, everyone would have the level of skill needed and we’d be able to take advantage of more growth opportunities.”

Ms Smith thanked Grant and the team for hosting the visit, saying the business plays a crucial role in the global market.

She said: “It’s amazing to hear the variety of businesses Rospen works with around the world and see the wealth of expertise in my constituency. This government is committed to supporting businesses on their journey because that’s how we’re going to keep people in jobs and there are a few issues Grant has told me that I’ll be taking back to parliament.”

Improvements have been made to Haslingden Market with traders expected to be open for business in the coming weeks.