We sit and chat for half an hour or so; Irene's unexpected visit reveals itself to be a piece of serendipity. She tells me that her specialist area of research is that of harassment, persecution and victimisation of Muslim women who wear the niqab in public. She has been struggling to obtain local contacts who would be willing to help with her research and just happened to be on her way to a volunteering appointment at Victim Support (our next door neighbours in Bishop Street) this morning when she saw the big poster in the window of our downstairs office, which led her to come upstairs and knock on our door.
Irene's work is highly relevant to recent discussions I've been having with some of our partner groups and organisations in the city in relation to the forthcoming International Hate Crime Day (Friday 28 October), which will be marked with a day-long event at Phoenix Square Film and Digital Media Centre. In exchange for advising her about local contacts who can help with her research, Irene may be able to assist us on 28 October. I look forward to us being able to come to a mutually beneficial arrangement - watch this space.
