THEGAYUK

Tag: Stonewall

All the latest breaking news on the charity Stonewall. Browse The THEGAYUK’s complete collection of features and commentary on Stonewall and the LGBT+ community.

  • £2 Million Awards Announced From Homophobic Bullying Fund

    Funds awarded to projects to train school staff and provide support for pupils affected by homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying.

    Stonewall awarded nearly half million pounds of the £2million total.

    Minister for Women and Equalities Jo Swinson, said, “It’s good news that schools are making progress on homophobic bullying

    Today eight organisations will be told they are to get a share of £2 million to help prevent and eradicate homophobic, biphobic and transphobic (HBT) bullying. The funding was announced by Jo Swinson, Minister for Women and Equalities, and Secretary of State for Education, Nicky Morgan, in October 2014.

    Homophobic bullying in schools is decreasing: 55 percent of lesbian, gay and bisexual young people surveyed for Stonewall’s 2012 School Report said they had experienced homophobic bullying, down from 65 percent in 2009.

    However further action is still needed. Metro’s Youth Chances Survey 2014 found that more than half of gay young people had experienced either discrimination or harassment. In a report from Stonewall, last year 86 percent of secondary school teachers and 45 percent of primary school teachers said pupils at their school had experienced homophobic bullying. Most (89 per cent for secondary schools and 70 per cent for primary) had heard homophobic language used. Teachers say they lack the knowledge and confidence to tackle HBT bullying effectively. These projects will help to build that confidence by providing training and resources for school staff.

    Minister for Women and Equalities, Jo Swinson, said, “It’s good news that schools are making progress on homophobic bullying, but it must be eradicated entirely. The trauma of being bullied at school can stay with you for life, and it is absolutely unacceptable that those who may be gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender are being targeted. Teachers need specialist support and training to help them stamp out homophobic bullying, which is why we have funded these excellent projects which are designed to tackle this issue head on.”

    The organisations awarded funding are:

    Anne Frank Trust (£104,894) – to run workshops and educate young people about prejudice and the impact of the Holocaust on lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

    Barnardo’s (£263,218) – to provide face-to-face support for victims of HBT bullying and training for staff with a focus on cultural issues in schools in Leeds and Wakefield.

    Diversity Role Models with Brook (£277,722) – to develop and deliver training on tackling HBT bullying to 10,000 teachers and staff in 400 schools.

    EACH (£189,304) – to deliver a training and resource programme in schools across Avon and Somerset.

    Educate and Celebrate (£214,048) – to train staff in 60 schools, giving them confidence and strategies to address HBT language and bullying and promote inclusiveness throughout the school environment and the curriculum.

    National Children’s Bureau (£128,754)– to train 1,500 teachers on tackling homophobia, biphobia and transphobia through PSHE.

    Show Racism the Red Card (£119,557)– to hold workshops with 2,000 young people at football clubs around England, train 200 teachers and run a film competition for young people on tackling HBT bullying.

    Stonewall (£465,594) – to extend and share its ‘train the trainer’ course with 60 partner organisations, enabling them to run the programme with schools in their local communities and giving them the skills to tackle HBT bullying.

    Marcel Varney, Assistant Director for Barnardo’s, said, “At Barnardo’s, we hear about HBT bullying from the young people we work with across the organisation. We know that the bullying of a young person because of their sexuality can be incredibly damaging and can impact dramatically on a young person’s ability to succeed at school.

    “This commitment from the government will enable us to reach hundreds of young people to alert them to the impact of HBT bullying. It‘s a big step towards stamping out HBT bullying. We aim to improve the visibility of LGBT lives in the school environment and ensure that young people are supported regardless of culture or religion.”

  • Northern universities top gay friendly uni report

    Four of the top 6 Universities in the UK for gay-friendly policies are Northern Universities.

    As thousands of new gay, lesbian, bi and trans students prepare for their first term at university, Stonewall has produced a league table of the best Universities in the UK for LGBT policies and practices.

    Only one of the top 6 is in the South-east, which was University of Essex.

    Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), Sheffield Hallam University, University of Essex, University of Glasgow and York St John University were all commended for their policies for LGBTs.

    In Wales Stonewall scored Cardiff University full marks.

    Last year just two universities topped the list, Liverpool Hohn Moores and Cardiff, both of which scored 10/10.

    Gay By Degree 2015 measures each university against 10 criteria to show how well they support their gay students. The checklist includes whether the university has a policy to tackle homophobic bullying, whether there are societies and events for LGBT students, and what steps they take to support lesbian, gay and bisexual staff.

    Ruth Hunt, Chief Executive said: ‘There are a record number of university places available this year and prospective students who are lesbian, gay or bisexual will want to study where they will be supported and developed. Particular congratulations are due to Cardiff University, the University of Essex, University of Glasgow, Liverpool John Moores University, Sheffield Hallam University and York St John University for being the only universities in Britain to score full marks.
    ‘It’s particularly concerning that only 35 universities are monitoring student’s sexual orientation leaving them no way of telling if they’re providing a positive experience for gay students. We hope that this year’s guide prompts universities to do more to make campuses a welcoming place for all students.’

    A further 11 universities met nine out of the ten criteria. Universities were assessed against the availability of information on their main or student websites so that prospective students can make an informed decision.

    Prospective students can search Gay By Degree to help inform their university options at www.gaybydegree.org.uk

  • Premier League And Paddy Power Go Gay With Rainbow Football Laces

    Rainbow Laces campaign asks players to lace up for weekend of 13/14 September.

    Stonewall, joining forces with the Gay Football Supporters’ Network (GFSN) and Paddy Power, has sent rainbow laces to every professional club and footballer in Britain to show support for gay players and fans.

    The campaign has official backing from the Premier League and high-profile support from Thomas Hitzlsperger, FA Cup winners Arsenal and champions Man City and aims to tackle one of the most persistent challenges in sport: homophobia in football.

    Thomas Hitziperger made headlines in January when he announced he was gay.

    Building on the success of last year’s inaugural campaign in which hundreds of pros laced up including Leighton Baines, Olivier Giroud and Joey Barton, alongside widespread support from Ed Miliband, the Department of Culture, Media & Sport, Stephen Fry and Gary Lineker, players and fans are being urged to again show their support over the weekend of 13/14 September.

    Arsenal legends Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Olivier Giroud, Santi Cazorla and club captain Mikel Arteta will kick-off the campaign with a high-profile TV ad – ‘The Changing Room’ – designed to raise awareness of the issues around homophobia in football and lead the charge in changing the beautiful game.

    Among the 5,000 professional footballers in the UK, not one of them is openly gay – a scenario with odds of over a quadragintillion to one. Stonewall’s own research shows that seven in ten football fans have heard or witnessed homophobia on the terraces and more than 40 per cent believe football to be an anti-gay sport.

    Rainbow coloured boot laces have been dispatched to every single professional player in the UK, including youth and women’s teams, alongside deliveries to all 650 MPs and leading political figures. Fans and grass-root players will be asked to tweet their support using the official hashtag: #RainbowLaces

    Ruth Hunt, Chief Executive of Stonewall, said, ‘We know that homophobia, biphobia and transphobia are still rife in football. That needs to change. Last year’s Rainbow Laces campaign was a great start but there’s still a long way to go both on and off the pitch. The clubs and players supporting the campaign and lacing up this weekend are taking a powerful stand against prejudice in our national game. Our work in sport will continue all year round, but for this week we need as many people as possible to show their support and get involved.’

    Nick Noble, Premier League Head of Communications said, ‘The Premier League welcomes initiatives like Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign, that share our objectives of equality throughout the sport. Unfortunately discrimination still exists in society and we recognise football’s leadership role in educating participants at all levels that any form of discriminatory behaviour is not acceptable.’

    Thomas Hitzlsperger, the only openly gay player to have played in the Premier League, said: ‘I’m proud to be working with Stonewall on the Rainbow Lace campaign. I want to show that being gay and a professional footballer is something that’s normal. The perceived contradiction between playing football, the man’s game, and being homosexual is nonsense.’

    Paddy Power said: ‘We love football but it needs a good kick up the ass. In many other areas of life, people can be open about their sexuality and it’s time for football to take a stand and show players it doesn’t matter what team they play for. Fans can show their support by simply tweeting using #RainbowLaces, whilst all players have to do is lace up over the weekend of 13 and 14 September.’

    Ed Connell, Gay Football Supporters’ Network Chair said: ‘Last year’s Rainbow Laces campaign successfully highlighted the problem of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in football in a bold and impactful way, grabbing the attention of the footballing world. However real progress is never achieved with one off campaigns. That’s why the Gay Football Supporters’ Network (GFSN) has welcomed the opportunity to work on this year’s campaign which we believe can bring about real change in the game.’

    In addition to club, player and fan support, some of the UK’s best known brands are supporting Rainbow Laces. In an industry first, Metro have pledged their support by filling their entire Monday edition with adverts from brands who back the campaign.

    Premier Inn, who are renaming as Premier Out in all communications for the day, HTC/Carphone Warehouse, Playstation, Sega, Relish Broadband, KLM, Heineken, Pepsico, Lastminute.com, Dr Martens, BT Broadband / BT Sport, Starbucks, Fiat and Jersey Tourism are just some of the brands involved.

  • Ruth Hunt announced as CEO of Stonewall

    Ruth Hunt has been announced as the new CEO of Britain’s biggest Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual charity, Stonewall.

    Ruth Hunt has been acting CEO of the charity since February this year and before that, was Deputy Chief Executive. She joined the charity in 2005 as a Senior Policy Officer, having begun her career at the Equality Challenge Unit. Her appointment concludes a comprehensive and transparent search, throwing up a strong set of candidates from which Ruth emerged as the clear winner.

    In May Hunt controversially refused to back a boycott of the Dorchester Collection, after it emerged that the owner of the group the Sultan Of Brunei said that he would adopt the Sharia criminal code for his country, the law carries harsh penalties for adultery and sodomy – which includes death by stoning.

    Hunt commented, ‘The recent boycott of The Dorchester Collection has undoubtedly raised awareness in the West of the issues in Brunei but the crucial questions for Stonewall are whether there is a mandate for the boycott and would such a boycott work? We believe the answer is no, on both counts. I do not believe the somewhat beleaguered Christopher Cowdray, Chief Executive of the Collection, can somehow influence the implementation of Sharia criminal code in Brunei.’

    Her statement led to a public outcry, which led to Stonewall changing its stance 3 days later.

    On the announcement of her appointment, Ruth Hunt said, ‘I’m delighted to have been given the opportunity to lead Stonewall, a highly-respected organisation that is synonymous with achieving equal rights for lesbian, gay and bisexual people. It is full of committed, intelligent and creative people and I am very pleased to be heading up such a talented team.

    ‘There are so many opportunities ahead, as well – of course – as challenges. I look forward to working with Stonewall’s many partners to develop what the team and my predecessors have already achieved, to advance equality and challenge discrimination both throughout the UK and abroad. These goals we share with the lesbian, gay and bisexual community and it’s fundamental that we work together to achieve them.’

  • Only One In Eight Teachers Trained To Tackle Homophobia In Schools

    Stonewall: Schools failing to prepare young people for realities of modern Britain.

    86% of secondary school teachers say homophobic bullying happens in their school. A third of teachers hear homophobic language from other school staff.

    New YouGov polling released today by Stonewall shows that teachers are still failing to tackle homophobic bullying in Britain’s schools. The Teachers’ Report 2014 polled nearly 2,000 school staff and reveals that fewer than one in ten (eight per cent) primary school teachers and fewer than one in five (17 per cent) secondary school teachers have received training on tackling homophobic bullying.This is despite the fact that two thirds (66 per cent) of secondary school teachers say that homophobic bullying has a detrimental impact on students’ achievement and attainment at school.
    Shockingly three in ten (29 per cent) secondary school teachers and two in five (37 per cent) primary school teachers do not know if they are even allowed to teach lesbian, gay and bisexual issues.

    The polling also revealed that more than a third of secondary school teachers (36 per cent) and nearly a third of primary school teachers (29 per cent) have heard homophobic language or negative remarks about lesbian, gay or bisexual people from other school staff.

    The Teachers’ Report 2014 also reveals that an overwhelming majority of teachers across both secondary and primary schools believe school staff have a duty to prevent and respond to homophobic bullying.

    Encouragingly the report does show that the percentage of teachers who say homophobic bullying happens often in their schools has fallen by half (13 per cent in 2014, compared to 25 per cent in 2009.
    Stonewall Acting Chief Executive Ruth Hunt said: ‘Teachers are the most powerful tool that we have in the fight to tackle homophobic bullying. Sadly our new research shows that, despite some progress, the legacy of Section 28 is lives on in Britain’s schools.

    ‘We’ve seen what happens when schools fail to get to grips with teaching the realities of 21st century Britain. The Government must now make it a priority that every single teacher is trained to tackle all types of bullying and abuse in our schools.’

    The Teachers’ Report 2014 is launched today at Stonewall’s annual Education for All Conference, which brings together teachers, politicians and students.
    The charity is also launching an interactive new website for primary schools to help them tackle homophobia and to talk about different families in an age-appropriate manner: www.stonewallprimary.org.uk

    Alongside of the new guidance and research Stonewall has named the top local authorities who are working to tackle homophobic bullying. Brighton & Hove council is named the top local authority for their work to prevent bullying and create inclusive schools. Hertfordshire Country Council and Wiltshire Council round out the top three performing local authorities in 2014.

    Speaking about the Education Equality Index, Stonewall’s Head of Education Luke Tryl said: ‘When local authorities abdicate their leadership on tackling bullying and prejudice it is students across Britain who suffer. The local authorities, and particularly Brighton & Hove Council, have shown that we can build schools that are welcoming for all where students can achieve their full academic potential, regardless of their sexual orientation.’

  • Harry Styles And Nick Grimshaw #FirstSnog Pictures

    Now that we’ve got your attention…

    Okay, okay, that was cruel we know, we know!

    You were expecting to see Harry and Nick having a #FirstSnog, but we thought this was a brilliant idea to let you know about Stonewall’s 25th year!

    Harry Styles and the openly gay radio DJ Nick Grimshaw have had a long standing friendship and are often spotted together, which has caused many a tabloid to speculate on the nature of their relationship.

    Last year Nick Grimshaw has denied that Harry has been having sleepovers at his, and both have denied a romantic relationship!

    Nick and Harry are just some of the many celebrities who have lent their faces to a new Selfie campaign for Stonewall.

    Yesterday Stonewall and SNOG Frozen Yoghurt launched a joint campaign to celebrate 25 years of the lesbian, gay and bisexual equality charity and look forward to the next 25 years. The #FirstSNOG campaign, an online interactive photo exhibition, will celebrate Stonewall’s 25 years of campaigning so that lesbian, gay and bisexual people are free to love and be loved.

    The exhibition, which already features famous supporters of Stonewall including Harry Styles, Rita Ora, Sam Smith, Nick Grimshaw, Calvin Klein, Florence Welsh, Boy George and Katy B – can be viewed here:http://instagram.com/snogfrozenyogurt.

    Ruth Hunt, Acting Chief Executive of Stonewall, said: ‘In our 25th year we know that there’s still so much work to do. Around the world in countries like Russia, Nigeria and Uganda, LGBT people are being oppressed and persecuted simply because of who they are. We’re excited to collaborate with SNOG to help us continue to campaign for LGBT equality around the world.’

    As well as raising awareness, SNOG is helping Stonewall to raise funds via their London based shops where a special Stonewall serving, featuring a selection of rainbow coloured fruits, will be available for the duration of the Stonewall 25 celebration. A donation of £3 can be made to Stonewall by texting ‘SNOG’ to 70300, with proceeds going towards the charity’s continued international work.

  • OPINION | Stonewall got it wrong Again

    By now I’m sure many of you will have heard about the new anti-gay laws coming into effect in Brunei, the subsequent condemnation around the world and boycott of hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei, and then Stonewall’s refusal to back such a boycott. I must say I was hugely disappointed with Stonewall… And I still am.

    Acting CEO of Stonewall, Ruth Hunt, has now released a statement saying that the organisation will no longer be using the Dorchester hotel for events and she has apologised for their initial position on this issue. Although I think that Stonewall are now doing the right thing, I feel that it shouldn’t have come after outrage from their supporters. Stonewall is meant to be the leading LGBT charity in the UK, but it has become clear from this incident that they may not necessarily be best placed to be that leading charity. In fact it is my opinion that they have followed where others have led on this issue.

    Stonewall have been holding events at the Dorchester for some time now and that is something that has always bothered me, before the disagreement over boycotting Sultan of Brunei owned hotels. Firstly because only people with a large income can afford to attend anything at the Dorchester, but also because I feel it’s inappropriate for a charity to put on events at such costly venues in the first place. I run my own LGBTQ charity, Push Projects, and would never consider putting on an event at such a place.

    Everything is done at a low cost and takes place at affordable venues. The expense of putting on an event at such pricey places would be better spent directly helping the people the charity exists to represent. But I digress…

    I believe the boycott of hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei is a positive thing. Although I am all for conversation and working things out by talking, I also feel that boycotts can send powerful messages. This particular boycott is not on a small scale; it is a worldwide campaign that many high profile people and organisations are supporting. With so much backing for a boycott, Stonewall got it completely wrong by stating they would not support it. It demonstrates that they do not represent the majority or LGBT people and their allies. It shows that they are out of touch. The superior tone of Ruth Hunt’s article in the Telegraph certainly gave that impression.

    Today’s announcement that Stonewall will no longer be using the Dorchester hotel is a case of too little, too late. It feels more like damage limitation rather than a sincere gesture. Something appears to be wrong at Stonewall and it’s clear they need to take a hard look at themselves and how they represent the LGBT community. Perhaps a change at the top is in order. They claim to be listening. Will they listen to this?

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • Stonewall To No Longer Use Dorchester Hotel

    Stonewall acting Chief Executive has announced that the charity will no longer use the hotel owned by the Sultan of Brunei.

    The UK’s largest LGB charity, Stonewall, was criticised heavily last week after its acting CEO Ruth Hunt said it would not back the boycott on The Dorchester Collection group of hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah.

    The Sultan of Brunei, has confirmed that he will continue his adoption of a Sharia criminal code in his country.

    This law carries harsh penalties for adultery and sodomy – which could includes death by stoning for homosexuals.

    SHARIA WHAT DOES IT MEAN:
    Islam’s legal system, derived from the Koran
    Informs every aspect of Muslims’ lives
    Islamic jurists issue formal guidance through fatwas, or religious edicts
    Sharia law includes provisions for capital and corporal punishment but modern scholars say getting to that stage can be difficult
    Marriage is treated as a contract in Islam
    From The BBC

    Writing for Pinknews, Hunt said,

    ‘I can confirm that we will not be using the Dorchester for our future events. We simply do not need this distraction from the vital work of promoting respect for the human rights of LGBT people the world over,” she writes.

    Ms. Hunt also apologised on behalf Stonewall, writing:

    ‘We’re sorry that we didn’t anticipate the strength of feeling in the LGBT community, and beyond, and take longer to talk to you about our position and ask what you think. That was a mistake on our part.’

    The boycott on the group, is backed by several high profile people including Ellen DeGeneres, Jay Leno and Richard Branson. The collection includes locations such as London’s The Dorchester and Los Angeles’ The Beverly Hill’s

  • Stonewall Refuses To Back Dorchester Boycott

    A statement from the acting Chief Exec of Stonewall, explains why Stonewall won’t be backing the Dorchester Collection boycott.

    Britain’s biggest LGB charity has announced that it won’t back a boycott of a hotel group owned by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei, who has confirmed that he will continue his adoption of a Sharia criminal code in his country.

    This law carries harsh penalties for adultery and sodomy – which includes death by stoning.

    The Dorchester Collection has a number of hotels across the world including The Dorchester in the UK’s capital and The Beverly Hotel in California.

    The Sultan’s actions have caused calls from the around the globe to boycott the chain – backed by many Hollywood names and celebrities, including Ellen DeGeneres and Jay Leno

    However Ruth Hunt, the acting Chief Executive of Stonewall stated,

    ‘At Stonewall we share the anger and fury of those calling for a boycott but we won’t be joining them’.

    ‘The recent boycott of The Dorchester Collection has undoubtedly raised awareness in the West of the issues in Brunei but the crucial questions for Stonewall are whether there is a mandate for the boycott and would such a boycott work? We believe the answer is no, on both counts. I do not believe the somewhat beleaguered Christopher Cowdray, Chief Executive of the Collection, can somehow influence the implementation of Sharia criminal code in Brunei. He can’t. I do, however, fear that the boycott could do very real harm to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people of Brunei. By turning the issue into a battle between gay people and the Sultan – which it isn’t, it affects everyone in Brunei, not just gay people – we limit the opportunity for dialogue and put the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people of Brunei at far greater risk. A group of people, I hasten to add, who’ve yet to publically call for a boycott.’

    ‘Stonewall’s plan is to instead work with groups, like the Dorchester, rather than against them. Companies have enormous power to change and challenge cultures and we help them utilise that influence.’

    Read the full statement on the Stonewall website

    A former Tory Chairman, said that Stonewall’s refusal to boycott the Dorchester Collection ‘doesn’t make sense’

    Lord Dehen criticised Stonewall’s decision not to back a boycott. Speaking to Pinknews about the British Society of Magazine Editors (BSME) decision not to hold an event at The Dorchester, Lord Deben said, ‘Well done Magazine editors. I think no decent organisation should use a hotel owned by someone who stones women accused of adultery and gay people purely because of their sexuality. I think that everyone should boycott The Dorchester Collection.’

    Have your say, What do you think Stonewall should do?

  • Ben Summerskill to step down as CEO of Stonewall

    Stonewall today announced that Ben Summerskill OBE is to step down as Chief Executive of the lesbian, gay and bisexual charity after eleven years at the helm.

    His time as Chief Executive saw a dramatic change in the legal landscape for lesbian, gay and bisexual people in Britain. During his tenure he led successful campaigns to secure legal equality for gay people in Britain, including the repeal of Section 28, goods and services protections, civil partnerships and marriage equality.

    Ben’s tenure also saw a transformation of the charity itself, taking it from one with just 20 staff, an annual income of £1.3 million, to an effective campaigning organisation of 75 full time staff with annual income of excess of £4.2 million, with improved governance and financial integrity including substantially augmented reserves in line with charity best practice.

    Paying tribute to his time as Chief Executive, Stonewall Chair Jacqueline Davies said: ‘In the last decade, under Ben’s direction, Stonewall has become a hugely influential campaigning body that has played a key role in achieving legal equality for lesbian, gay and bisexual people in Britain – from the repeal of Section 28 to the recent same-sex marriage bill.

    ‘Britain is now a beacon of equality around the world and we are incredibly proud of Stonewall’s contribution to this. Ben’s own commitment has been extraordinary. He has worked tirelessly to achieve equality at home, at school and at work – and we are enormously grateful to him.

    ‘We remain all too aware that Stonewall’s work is by no means complete. The whole organisation remains more determined than ever to fight for full equality for gay, lesbian and bisexual people in all areas of life – both in the UK and internationally.’
    Ben Summerskill said: ‘I’ve had a wonderful 11 years at Stonewall. As a charity, it comprises a constellation of staff and volunteers who, working together, have achieved remarkable things. The fact that Stonewall’s Workplace Programme now engages the employers of ten million people and one in three local authorities in Britain now works with us to tackle homophobic bullying in schools is testament to some of the fantastic teamwork I’ve been lucky enough to be involved with.’
    The Stonewall Board today also announces that current Deputy Chief Executive Ruth Hunt will be appointed as Acting Chief Executive while the Board recruits into the role. In recent months, Ben has worked with Ruth to ensure the organisation transitions smoothly and remains focused on its key priorities.

    Ruth Hunt said: ‘The Stonewall team is working hard to achieve equality for gay people in education, the media and in the workplace.’

    ‘As a leadership team, our priority will be to maintain the momentum Ben has built up over the last 11 years so that we continue to see significant progress in these areas. I’ve worked side-by-side with Ben over the last eight years, and will be delighted and honoured to step into the role of Acting Chief Executive.’

  • Cheshire’s fire service among top LGBT employers

    Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is celebrating after once again making it into Stonewall’s annual list of the UK’s top 100 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) friendly employers.

    After making the Top100 of the Workplace Equality Index for the first time in 2013, the Service increased its ranking by 20 places, achieving the 25th slot and placing it in the top quarter of organisations.

    Deputy Chair of the Fire Authority, Cllr Stef Nelson said: “Making the Top100 for a second year is something we are incredibly proud of. It demonstrates that the culture of the fire and rescue service is changing for the better. We are totally committed to getting the most out of every single member of staff and developing an inclusive working environment where our staff feel valued regardless of their background or sexual orientation”.

    Stonewall is a national organisation that works to achieve equality for lesbians, gay men and bisexual people. The Index has been running for ten years and is seen as the definitive benchmark for gay-friendly employers.

    Nearly 400 organisations entered the 2014 Index, including some of the UK’s (and the world’s) largest and most successful firms. The Service was the joint-highest scoring organisation based solely in the North West.

    The Workplace Equality Index provides an audit for workplace culture and ranks the top employers for LGBT staff through a 25-question evidenced assessment, focussed on the approach and mechanisms for supporting LGBT employees, customers and communities.

    Chief Fire Office Paul Hancock, who is the senior sponsor of the Service’s LGBT staff network, added: “I am delighted that our organisation has again improved its placing in Stonewall’s Top 100 this year. It reflects the hard work invested by our staff and volunteers, not only in ensuring that our people can perform at their best and be themselves, but also so that LGBT people across Cheshire know that we are here to support them. Our aim is always to deliver an excellent fire and rescue service and to do that we need people from every background.”

    Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service has an active LGBT employee network group, Firepride, which has once again been accredited as a ‘Star Performing Network’. This means that it has been recognised as ‘making an invaluable contribution to the experience of LGBT staff in the organisation and beyond’.