Welcome to the Diversity Trust Summer Newsletter 2019!

This issue is jampacked with fascinating announcements, articles of interest, dates for your calendar and upcoming events.

Recently, the Diversity Trust created a podcast series, the first of these features trans activist Christine Burns MBE being interviewed by our own Cheryl Morgan. Have a listen by visiting our website https://www.diversitytrust.org.uk/category/podcast/

Three of the women who are very active for women’s and LGBT+ equality are featured in this issue. We interviewed Dr Finn Mackay. Finn explains how she became involved in researching queer and lesbian masculinities. We also talked to Ruth Hunt who is leaving Stonewall as CEO after five significant years in which she put Trans issues firmly on the Stonewall map.

Jenny-Ann Bishop tells her story and how Care Under the Rainbow, and similar projects across the country, are optimising care homes for LGBTQ+ people forever.

Locally, there are a number of great new initiatives including Dementia Awareness in Faith Led Communities and a SARSAS project in aid of women aged over 55 who suffer sexual abuse and violence.

A report by our own David Sully on the launch of Care Under the Rainbow (a collaborative project between the Diversity Trust and the University of Bristol). Dave gives us the lowdown on this initiative to make care homes more LGBT+ inclusive – something which is way overdue!

Are you a poet? Do you have a story to tell? For the writers amongst us, Arkbound Foundation writing project is part of Arkbound Publishing. Having worked with refugees and prisoners, they’re pleased to help people from under-represented and disadvantaged communities tell their stories and maybe even get them published.

Finally, and just to let you know, I was recently fortunate enough to interview MP Stella Creasey for a Diversity Trust podcast series. Stella is a Labour MP for Walthamstow and a champion of equality and women’s rights. The details will be in the next newsletter.

For other upcoming podcasts, watch this space.

As usual, big thanks to David Sully and Frank Duffy. David ensures our newsletters are written in Plain English and Frank turns this into an artwork! I hope you enjoy this issue!

Lou Hart, Diversity Trust, Director and Senior Consultant

Read the latest newsletter DN_issue15-4