Stonewall celebrates LGBTQIA+ champions at first Proud Changemakers Awards

Stonewall has celebrated champions from across the LGBTQIA+ community with its newly launched Proud Changemakers Awards.

On 8 July, Stonewall CEO Simon Blake and UK Black Pride executive director Lady Phyll Opoku-Gyimah unveiled the winners at the charity's summer party fundraiser, held at The Ministry in South London.

The inaugural awards recognised organisations, campaigners, politicians and advocates across four categories: Navigating Turbulence, Shaping Policy, Inclusive Places and Lifetime Contribution.

"We're delighted to be able to honour the incredible work of these amazing changemakers,” Blake told attendees. “The party was an amazing night of solidarity and celebration in the summer heat – one I'll remember for a very long time.”

Among the evening’s honourees was Terence Higgins Trust co-founder Rupert Whitaker, who received the Lifetime Contribution Award. In his speech, the HIV/AIDS advocate reflected on the work Stonewall and Terence Higgins Trust have accomplished over the years, stating: "We have come a long way from the fear, bigotry and everyday violence of the late 70s, when I came out, a time when equality was almost unimaginable.

"Since then, both Stonewall and the Terrence Higgins Trust have fought, in different ways, to insist that our government and public institutions recognise the fundamental dignity of our lives, especially when challenged by AIDS or social injustice and exclusion."

Towards the end of his speech, Whitaker paid tribute to the tireless efforts of the "generations of staff, volunteers, campaigners, and allies who understood that progress is never inevitable, nor secure, but achieved when people refuse to accept that injustice is normal."

Rachel Taylor MP and Marie Tidball MP were jointly announced as the winners of the Shaping Policy Award in recognition of their extensive work on anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crime legislation, their pushback against the recently drafted EHRC guidance, and their advocacy for a UK-wide ban on conversion therapy practices. 

"Those who commit acts of hate against LGBT+ and disabled people should know their crimes will be treated every bit as seriously as other forms of hate," said Taylor. 

"I'm absolutely delighted to have passed the amendment to make all categories of hate crime aggravated offences and am honoured to have received this award from Stonewall for leading this campaign in parliament with Marie Tidball MP."

The Inclusive Places category also featured two winners: Lou Englefield, recognised for her work with Pride Sports and Stonewall's Rainbow Laces campaign, and Trenton Tomlinson of Universal Music Group, who is also a member of Stonewall's Proud Employers leadership cohort.

"Music has the power to shape culture, but that only matters if the people behind it are also protected, celebrated and given the equity to succeed. This is something that Stonewall does every day, so it means an awful lot to not only play a part in that change but to be acknowledged by Stonewall for it," Tomlinson said while accepting the honour.

Englefield added: "As we build towards the first ever EuroGames to come to the UK (in Cardiff) next year, it's fantastic to have our work to make sport and physical activity more inclusive acknowledged by Stonewall. And no better year for this to happen than in our 20th anniversary year."

Rounding out the evening's honourees was the Trans+ History Week CIC, which received the Navigating Turbulence Award. 

During her acceptance speech, founder Marty Davies paid tribute to the volunteers, Trans+ creatives, sponsors, and private donors who helped bring the organisation to life.

"Storytelling under the Trans+ community's authorship is an essential act of survival. It helps us reclaim our common humanity, making the work to win back our rights a little bit easier." Davies said. 

"It also helps us to do more than survive, but thrive; when we connect with our history, we feel we belong in the present, and we can imagine futures for ourselves. Stonewall recognised this and supported this project from the very start."

For more information about Stonewall UK, click here.