Portsmouth organisation supporting the trans community named winner of top prize at ITV’s National Diversity Awards

Steph’s Place UK has been awarded the LGBT+ Organisation honour for its work supporting the trans community.

Seven members of the Steph’s Place team travelled up to Liverpool Cathedral to attend the ceremony where the final winners of the ITV awards were announced.

The founder of Steph’s Place, Steph Richards, said: ‘We were overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the event the moment we stepped through the Cathedral doors, and numerous celebrities were in attendance.

‘Sitting at a table next to us was Neville Southall, the former Everton goalkeeping legend, supporting Rainbow Toffees, the official LGBT group from Everton Football Club.

‘Winner of the Celebrity of the Year was Dame Kelly Holmes, who gave an impassioned speech about her coming out as a lesbian.’

Steph’s Place also calls out violence against women and girls, running a year-long campaign remembering women who had been killed by a man.

In the last nine months, Steph’s Place has made two human rights submissions to the United Nations and investigated corruption and collusion in the government and their agencies, feeding information to other human rights organisations.

Steph said: ‘When we were announced as winners of the LGBT+ Organisation category, we were stunned, but then they ran a video about us while we were walking up to the main stage, and it started to sink in.

‘I gave a speech about the problems trans people encounter, and it was received exceptionally well.

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‘Now named as LGBT Organisation of the year, I will be approaching Fareham’s MP Suella Braverman, and Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt for meetings.

‘Both have made very alarming remarks about the trans community in recent weeks.’

Also in attendance at the Liverpool Cathedral was Portsmouth-based Jodie Hughes, the founder of Endometriosis South Coast, shortlisted in the Community Organisation Award for Gender.

Jodie, who attended along with four of her team - Kate Dunstone, Jessica Meddick, Robyn Gentle and Steff Moss - said: ‘It’s a shame we didn’t win, losing to the outstanding Independent Domestic Abuse Services, a specialist charity in Yorkshire supporting anyone subject to domestic abuse or sexual violence.

‘We all had a fantastic time - the event was epic, and we will remember it for the rest of our lives.’