Irwin Mitchell hosts successful Bollywood themed celebration of South Asian excellence and inclusion

More than 100 professionals from across the legal, public, and community sectors came together at Irwin Mitchell’s Manchester office, at One St Peter’s Square, on Thursday 26 March 2026 for a vibrant celebration of South Asian culture and inclusion.

Charlotte Abbott and Bilal Hussain, Serious Injury Solicitors at Irwin Mithcell’s Manchester office, organised and hosted this hugely successful event, promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) to a vastly diverse community of senior professionals.

The Bollywood themed event, Making a Remarkable Difference, focused on spotlighting lived experience and celebrating the contributions of South Asian professionals. The evening aimed to amplify voices from underrepresented backgrounds and promote greater inclusion across the legal sector and our vast and diverse communities.

In their roles away from their busy day jobs, Charlotte and Bilal lead Manchester’s IM RESPECT group, (the firm’s internal diversity network which aims to champion racial equity, promote inclusion and support colleagues from diverse cultural and faith backgrounds) and have used this platform to bring Manchester together to raise awareness of this very important topic.

The hosts coordinated a panel of keynote speakers, who captivated the audience with the power of storytelling and shared lived experiences. The event captured the importance of inclusive environments, challenging barriers, and that genuinely listening to different lived experiences can make a real and lasting difference for individuals. The message was clear, every one of us has the power to make “a remarkable difference".

Among the attendees were representatives from the Judiciary and Northern Circuit, Manchester Law Society, Manchester City Council, Manchester’s Inwards Investment Agency, Manchester Universities and Schools of Law, Greater Manchester Police, the Caribbean and African Health Network, Association of South Asian Midwives, NHS treating hospitals and private sector medical and clinical practitioners, the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and the private banking institutions – reinforcing a strong cross sector commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion across the region.

Keynote speakers offered powerful insights into the importance of representation, allyship and the barriers still faced. They shared personal reflections on identity, resilience, and the need for structural change across law, healthcare and wider public services in the community.

The evening consisted of thought-provoking keynote speeches from:

• Alison Eddy – Partner and Ambassador for Inclusion at Irwin Mitchell, discussed her years of championing social justice and helping to establish Irwin Mitchell’s diversity and inclusion board back in 2008. Alison shared with us the ongoing work promoting gender equality in the legal profession and beyond.
• Geeta Nayar – Senior Associate in Medical Negligence, a leading EDI and maternal health reform campaigner who discussed her experience of the long-term impact of returning to work following traumatic childbirth.
• HHJ Fayyaz Afzal OBE CBE – Circuit Judge / Designated Family Judge for South Yorkshire and Diversity and Community Relations Judge. The first visually impaired South Asian Judge in England and Wales highlighted the barriers that persist and the need for role models, mentoring, and sponsorship for a more inclusive representation at the Bar and in the judiciary.
• Dr Ria Meera Munshi – Honorary Doctor of Arts, EDI advocate, TEDx Speaker, TV Bollywood choreographer and cultural entrepreneur. Holder of Bollywood Guinness World Record. Dr Munshi captivated the audience, in her keynote and interactive dance, with her innovative combination of dance and culture and how this helped overcome her own adversity and invisible disability.
• Amit Ghose – Senior Diversity and Inclusion Business Partner, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and author of children’s book “Born Different” shared his experience living with neurofibromatosis (NF1) and how rejection helped shape his journey to acceptance and supporting others.
• Polly Williams – Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and Wellbeing at the Law Society reinforced the Law Society’s commitment to a more inclusive profession.

Following the keynote speeches, guests enjoyed Bollywood music, carefully selected inclusive food for all (halal, veg, vegan) and refreshments, henna art and an energetic Bollywood dance workshop led by Dr Ria Meera Munshi, bringing the room together in a colourful and joyful celebration of South Asian culture and heritage.

Attendee reflections

Jonathan Betts, Serious Injury Partner at Irwin Mitchell, said: “For me it was an utterly remarkable event, celebrating South Asian culture and showcasing human endeavours in the face of extreme adversity, illustrating that the human spirit can overcome all sorts of huge obstacles ensuring people with enormous challenges can live rewarding and fulling lives. It was overall an absolutely fantastic and uplifting event and the positive feedback has been absolutely overwhelming."

Polly Williams, Head of EDI and Wellbeing at the Law Society, commented: “It was wonderful to join the event and hear engaging and inspiring stories from the South Asian community in Manchester and beyond, it really demonstrated the power of story-telling and lived experiences shaping and informing what we do. Three messages have stayed with me from the speakers – to embrace yourself, when we collaborate everyone benefits, and give a nudge to the talent around you. The Law Society is committed to building a more inclusive profession because when we do, everyone benefits. Our new EDI strategy for the solicitors’ profession is about turning that ambition into action.

 

“There are many opportunities for our members to get involved and help shape and inform our work and I encourage them to join Get Involved. At the Law Society we will continue to use our voice, influence and connections to build a more inclusive profession. But we can’t do it alone. We need law firms, in-house teams, and legal professionals at all levels to step up and join us, so I encourage people to get in touch to discuss opportunities to collaborate.”

Alison Eddy, Partner & Ambassador for Inclusion at Irwin Mitchell, added: “Storytelling is very powerful and the stories shared by Amit Ghose, Geeta Nayar and HHJ Afzal at our Making a Remarkable Difference event will stay with me for a long time. There was a rawness and sadness but also such strength and determination. And Dr Ria brought joy and light with her interactive keynote and dance sequence. The evening was a reminder that we can all make a remarkable difference each and every day by showing kindness and compassion and looking out for one another.”

Richard Biggs, Serious Injury Partner at Irwin Mitchell, added: “Last night’s Making a Remarkable Difference event at Irwin Mitchell Manchester was a powerful reminder of why equity, diversity and inclusion matter – not just as principles, but in day-to-day actions. The stories shared highlighted how creating inclusive environments, challenging barriers and genuinely listening to different lived experiences can make a real and lasting difference for individuals, teams and communities. It was inspiring to see EDI recognised not as a standalone initiative, but as something embedded in culture, behaviour and decision-making. Huge credit my colleagues Bilal Hussain and Charlotte Abbott for organising such a fantastic event.”

Shane Smith, Solicitor and Chair of the EDI Committee, Manchester Law Society, added: ‘The resilience, strength, and courage of all those who shared their story was truly humbling and awe inspiring. The evening served as an important reminder of why we recognise, celebrate, and promote equity, diversity and inclusion."

Dr Ria Meera Munshi, said: “The evening felt so wholesome and genuinely inspirational – it was an honour to share the joy of my colourful career with everyone. My work is a living, breathing model of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in action, using dance, theatre, and the arts to help people feel seen, included, and truly able to belong.”

Nicola Ashton, Senior Associate Solicitor in Irwin Mitchell’s Medical Negligence Team, said: “The Making a Remarkable Difference event was incredibly inspiring. The speakers shared thoughtful, engaging and personal insights, highlighting the strength of the South Asian Network and the impact of open conversations, representation and allyship.”

HHJ Fayyaz Afzal CBE OBE, Designated Family Judge for South Yorkshire, commented: “It was a pleasure to attend and I thoroughly enjoyed the occasion. The importance of diversity and inclusion was highlighted during a fun and inspiring evening, and I commend everyone involved.

 

“One thing I hope people take away from events like this is that no one should underestimate what disabled people can do. To operate on a level playing field we must be exceptional problem solvers, and alongside many developed or compensatory skills, this enables us to bring real value and richness to the legal profession.

 

“The judiciary should reflect the society it serves, and that depends on having a diverse legal profession from which judges are appointed. Efforts to make the profession more diverse are therefore incredibly important.”

The evening was a reminder that inclusion isn’t just a strategy, it is something we all actively contribute to every day to drive meaningful change. The message was clear, every one of us has the power to make a remarkable difference in our lives and workplace culture.