GMFRS welcomes new Culture First Board co-chair
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) is due to welcome it's new Culture First Board co-chair at the next board meeting on 22 May.
Elinor Chohan, a dedicated advocate for social justice and community cohesion, will act as our next independent co-chair alongside CFO Dave Russell, following on from Sunita Gamblin.
The Board was established as part of our 2023-24 Annual Delivery plan, which aimed to ensure culture was at the heart of all our work.
The Board has seen EDI Staff Networks and allies, union representatives, Freedom to Speak Up Guardian, Peer Support and Cultural Sounding Panel leads, and members of the Service Leadership Team coming together to contribute their own perspectives, have difficult conversations, and drive positive change.
Elinor has a 20-year nursing career as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Resuscitation and Clinical skills and regularly delivers motivational talks as an alumna of Manchester Metropolitan University. In 2004 she co-founded Miri Roshni with her husband, a charity dedicated to education, poverty alleviation and humanitarian aid. The charity’s impactful initiatives include a school, orphanage, higher education support and healthcare projects.
Her contribution to interfaith dialogue and community development earned her an MBE in 2018, with roles such as Chair of the Remembering Srebrenica NW board, Chair of Altrincham Interfaith Group and Trustee of the British Muslim Heritage Centre. She also served for three years on GMCA’s Race Equality Panel.
Elinor’s dedication to nurturing the next generation and fostering inclusivity reflects her lifelong commitment to creating lasting positive change, which she now hopes to bring to GMFRS.
Elinor said:
"Everyone deserves an equal chance to be treated properly and have role models in the fire service that feel relevant making it a vibrant and viable career option.
"People feeling valued and part of an organisation really motivates me. So, I’m really looking forward to meeting different people and being able to see the organisation through an independent lens to maximise cultural awareness and inclusivity.
"I’ve been encouraged by what I’ve already heard and hope I can make an impact in breaking boundaries and helping the organisation go from strength to strength.
"I really look forward to meeting different people and staff networks; by viewing the organisation through an independent lens I aim to maximise cultural awareness and positivity."
The Board has the backing of the Deputy Mayor, Kate Green, who shared her support to our ongoing work around culture.
Kate said:
"We are very fortunate to have Dave and now Elinor driving forward GMFRS’ programme of cultural development. I have known Elinor for many years and have worked closely with Dave since I was appointed deputy mayor. I am in no doubt about their wholehearted commitment to ensuring that we can continue to be the very best that we can be for everyone who works in or comes into contact with our service right across Greater Manchester, now and into the future."
Chief Fire Officer, Dave Russel, said:
"When I joined GMFRS, I made culture my absolute priority and I remain committed to and passionate about ensuring that our organisation is a welcoming place that puts its people first.
"We’ve been on this journey for some time now and I’m proud of the progress we’ve made. Elinor comes to us at a critical time, as we work towards our next EDI strategy, and I know that she will add massive value to all that we do. Her experience, matched by her enthusiasm, really gives us the opportunity to achieve even more than before.”
Article Published: 14/05/2025 15:31 PM