As the Race Equalities Council (REC) for the area of London Borough of Southwark we are here to promote a fair and equal society. SHRREB is the operational name of SREC (Southwark Race and Equalities Council) and we were formally also known as Southwark Council for Community Relations SCCR.

Set up in the late 1960s the Race Equalities Council (now known as SHRREB) has been at the forefront of equalities in the London Borough of Southwark. During 2006 the organisation began one of it's most ambitious restructures based on a review of the Borough's equalities scheme. This led to the organisation being restructured to reflect the growing diversity in Southwark and inline with the Commission of Racial Equality and their move in October 2007 to the Commission for Equalities and Human Rights (CEHR).

An equal society protects and promotes equal, real freedom and substantive opportunity to live in the ways people value and would choose, so that everyone can flourish.
An equal society recognises people's different needs, situations and goals, and removes the barriers that limit what people can do and can be.

"Even in the most tolerant of societies, some things should always remain intolerable. Each of us could make a list of the features which we think should have no place in a fair, free and just society. Most lists would probably include the wanton violence which destroys young lives and devastates families. Many would add an often crushing disregard for the rights of children, older people or disabled people by those who should be using their authority to improve lives. Others would cite the complacency that consignes some to society's dustbin purely because the colour of their skin. And behind all this looms a persistent material, cultural and moral poverty that blights many homes" The Equalities Review - Fairness and Freedom: The Final Report of the Equalities Review. Feb 2007.

In rebuilding the Organisation we have learnt much from The Equalities Review report and their suggestions to the creation of a strong REC including building a consensus on equalities, measuring progress towards equality, transparency about progress, more accountabilty for delivering equality and enabling and supporting organisations in all sectors.

We would like to hear from you, tell us what else you want to see from your race equalities council. Email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with your comments and partnership ideas or call us between 10am - 4pm Monday to friday on 020 7708 4864.