Lisa Riley MBE among winners of Yorkshire Pride in Diversity Awards.
Yorkshire charities and social enterprises have been celebrated at the region’s second Pride in Diversity Awards, held at Leeds’ First Direct Bank Arena.
The awards aim to highlight work across Yorkshire to support members of the community who face additional barriers when accessing public services and employment, or simply enjoying daily life. This can be due to a range of factors, including race, neurodiversity, disability, sexuality, and gender identity.
Recipients included Lisa Riley MBE, who won Public Figure of the Year. For her, the win was an opportunity to reinforce the need for strong allyship for the LGBTQ+ community.
“I’m so incredibly proud and humbled to have won this phenomenal award," she said.
"I want to be at the front of the queue as the biggest cheerleader for LGBTQ+ and diverse communities and I'm with them every step of the way. My pom poms are forever at the ready!”
The Lifetime Achievement award went to Dr Agam Jung, who spoke of her care for MND patients - including rugby legend Rob Burrow - and Beeston’s Women’s Whispers received Yorkshire Community Organisation of the Year.
The awards were founded by Leeds’ Jane Clynes and LGBTQ+ ambassador Matt Jameson, who shot to fame as part of Married at First Sight’s first same sex couple. He said:
"The Pride in Diversity Awards are an amazing way to recognise and celebrate people working hard in our communities to uplift others and remove barriers to activities and services.
"It's important that we stand against the harmful rhetoric that’s so prevalent in today's media, holding each other up and showing solidarity.
"We’re building a real community and will be offering everyone involved the chance to network and collaborate again before the next awards, so follow us on Instagram @prideindiversityawards for updates!"
Last year’s awards raised £1,700 for LGBTQ+ social inclusion charity Out Together, and this year’s raised £3,000 for Getting Clean, a Community Interest Company which brings together people recovering from addiction and is best known for its “Soap with Hope” programme.
This year’s charity will be The Henry Grierson ADHD & Mental Health Foundation, based in Huddersfield, which aims to break the link between ADHD and suicide through education, campaigning and support for young people and families.
More details on winners, judges and sponsors can be found on the Pride in Diversity Awards Instagram account.