GMCA- Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Diversity & Inclusion Manager.

I started my professional career as a Youth and Community worker. I was inspired by a local youth worker who supported & empowered young people, giving me and others, a voice in our local community. For the past 40 years, I have volunteered and worked across Greater Manchester in the voluntary and public sector, offering a voice to the unheard and often invisible.

I am passionate about Intersectionality, asserting how all aspects of our identities and discrimination overlap. We all have different experiences and identities, which interlock with each other. Considering these relationships when working to promote equity is crucial.

I joined the fire service in 2011 as a Community Safety Manager, and developed the LGBT & Allies staff network in 2016. Supporting the development of other staff networks across the organisation. Ensuring key joint events each year inclusive of IDAHOBIT & Black History Month, to give visibility to the BAME-PoC LGBT agenda. Now staff and volunteers, have visibility, a voice and additional confidential support through the LGBT & Allies, Women’s, BAME, and Dis-ability staff networks.

I am part of the Greater Manchester LGBT Advisory Panel, to support Carl Austin-Behan drive forward the GM LGBT 5 year action plan. I am my authentic self, and my beliefs and values are at the heart of what I bring to work, part of my every day! I won the Asian Fire Service “Woman of the year” 2018 for my diversity andinclusion work in the Bangladeshi community, and in recognition for my LGBT+ work within the organisation over the past 4 years. 

I started my new role as the Diversity and Inclusion manager in July this year. I feel excited and extremely privileged, to be able to use this platform, to contribute to the Diversity and Inclusion ambition within the fire service and beyond. 

Ooooh the possibilities!

Smyth has had a varied career in journalism and public relations, working for a range of organisations including the Manchester Evening News, BBC, Greater Manchester Police, Manchester City Council and the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham. He is currently head of communications at Lancashire County Council, one of the biggest local authorities in the country. 

He is an active member of Manchester’s LGBT community. As well as helping to support the economic success of the Village by spending too much money in its venues, he aims to be an advocate for LGBT issues wherever he can. 

An Irishman who has made Manchester his home, Smyth has three cats who permit him and his partner Ed to live with them. He spends too much time on karaoke and not enough time in the gym.

Nell is a proud queer, disabled, neurodivergent, trade unionist and a passionate advocate and activist for all things inclusion, to create a society where everyone can thrive, not just survive.

For almost two decades Nell has led successfully on EDI focused campaigns across Public, Corporate and Third sector workplaces. Currently a Head of EDI in the charity sector, they specialise in campaigns and policy work on neurodiversity, reasonable adjustments, LGBT+ inclusion and the menopause.

Nell came out in Stoke-On-Trent in the 90s, spent about 20 years in London and now 4 in sunny Margate, Kent and has consistently worked to support, connect, celebrate and serve our queer community.

Having seen the significant differences that safe spaces, services and support can make, they cannot wait to get stuck in as a Trustee.

As an utterly devoted Agatha Christie’s Poirot fan, in their spare time, they can be found watching old re-runs on the telly, or on the beach with their partner and rescue dog Lola!

Jason has worked across the public and voluntary sector in Greater Manchester for nearly two decades. As a Primary Care Manager with GM Health and Social Care Partnership, Jason has responsibility for enabling over 450 GP practices to improve quality and promote inclusive health services for tens of thousands of GM residents.

Through his current and previous roles, Jason has been the driving force for a diversity agenda, recognising and calling out structural inequalities that can reduce opportunities for some of the most vulnerable across our city region. Having worked across health, employability and regeneration initiatives, Jason has worked tirelessly to engage with communities, represent the interests of marginalised groups (such as long term unemployed people and Carers) and design services that can meet the needs of some of the most under-represented individuals.

Whilst first attracted to Manchester by Queer as Folk back in the late 90s, Jason has made Manchester his home. As a Ugandan Geordie Jason loves volunteering, dancing to salsa, listening to funk or attending spoken word poetry events.

When Mike is not saving lives as a Royal Navy Emergency Medicine doctor, he is a staunch supporter of diversity and inclusion with over two decades experience of working to support the LGBT+ community.

He has a passion for removing healthcare inequalities as a chair of Compass, the sexual orientation and gender identity network the Naval Service, he has instigated and lead a number of cross government and public sector initiatives and global strategic engagement programmes. He is a powerful community advocate, being a strong trans and bi ally. 

Mike, who lives in Manchester, also enjoys travelling and photography.

Alex lives and works in the centre of Manchester as a software engineer. She is passionate about diversity and inclusion in the workplace and is involved in initiatives to measure and improve inclusivity. She aims to bring business and technical expertise to the board of the LGBT Foundation.

She first used services at the LGBT Foundation in 2013 and the support was incredible and got her through hard times. She is committed to ensuring the LGBT Foundation prospers and continues to provide the vital support it has over the years, and is delighted to join as a Trustee.

Loïc is a competition policy professional, currently working in the public service. He also teaches competition law at a university.

Originally from France, Loïc now calls the UK and London his home. He is passionate about LGBTQ+ rights, visibility and safety of LGBTQ+ people.

Loïc practises ju-jitsu in an LGBTQ+-friendly club. He also loves travelling and exploring restaurants with his partner.

In his professional life, Ian works as the finance director for a London Council, having worked in Local Government all his career. He is an active participant in the equalities, diversity and inclusion agenda at his work, and corporate sponsor of the LGBT+ staff network.

Ian is open about being a latecomer to the LGBT+ party, having come out during the panademic. Having been accepted and supported by others to be his authentic self, Ian now wants to do what he can to support others on their journey, initially by using his skills and experience from his professional life, but over time as he listens and learns more, through advocating and supporting based on his knowledge and understanding of the issues that our community faces. Ian is a proud father of two gorgeous daughters (dad’s bias) – one training to be a primary school teacher, the other studying musical theatre. He enjoys yoga, theatre trips with friends and at times too much food and wine.

Simon is the Education Director at HunterLodge Advertising and has been working in advertising for over 25 years. 1988 saw him dabble for the first time in recruitment marketing. Or job ads, as we called them back then. 

Around 17 years ago he joined a team run by the formidable Julie Towers at Riley Advertising in Nottingham. The rest is history, as Riley morphed into the agency now known as Havas People.

With a character only marginally less colourful than his wardrobe*, Simon’s managed teams, departments and regional offices, and worked with clients across recruitment and education marketing. Simon is heavily involved in the LGBT network within the Havas group and helped to recently launch @havaspride

Simon comes from Leeds. His other claim to fame is that he once directed and starred in a TV commercial with Patrick Stewart!

*There is no truth in the rumour that Tim Peake could see it from space. It was the Northern Lights, honest.

Oscar (he/they) is a Sociology and Social Anthropology student at the University of Cambridge and an advocate for youth empowerment. Channelling personal experiences, Oscar passionately campaigns on pressing concerns including mental health, neurodiversity, and youth unemployment.

As a proud member of the trans community, he has advocated for the wellbeing of trans people for a number of years. He hopes to use his experience in academics and activism to drive transformative change in society.

Simon has worked as a midwife for almost 30 years with many of those years being in senior leadership posts. Currently employed in a national role supporting maternity units on their journeys to improvement.

Simon is a father of 3 and godfather to many. He is passionate about improving the lives of others, particularly those whose voices are often not heard and has been a trustee of a number of charities over the last 14 years.

Simon moved to Manchester 4 years ago for work and joined the LGBT Foundation as one of their volunteers and saw first-hand the great work the Foundation undertakes, and he is looking forward to supporting the Foundation to continue to grow whilst serving as a trustee.

Selina is an experienced NHS manager and qualified Adult Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist/ EMDR Practitioner. Selina has a particular interest in treating Trauma and Depression.

Selina is a confident transformational leader and passionate about mental health and lgbtqia+ issues. Selina has been a part of Rethink’s ‘Time to Change’ campaign and Stonewall’s ‘It Gets better.’ Selina is approachable and compassionate in style. She has experience in operational management, strategy, project management skills and clinical governance.