LGBT History Month: Wakefield District Mayor attends Turning Point event with Trans Wakefield and West Yorkshire Police

The event was hosted by Turning Point in Wakefield to demonstrate they “respect, recognise and celebrate [the community’s] cultures and beliefs without judgement or prejudice”.

The event – held at the Socialicious Recovery Hub on Westmorland Street – also welcomed guest speakers from Trans Wakefield and Wakefield Pride.

Coun Josie Pritchard, Mayor of Wakefield District, said: “We are all different and that is a good thing. It makes our world colourful like a rainbow.

"We need to stand up for LGBTQ rights. Everyone should be treated with respect, fairness and equality.”

In response to being asked what message she hopes her presence at the event would give to the people of Wakefield, she said: “It's to be inclusive, as inclusive as possible.

“Everybody's got a right to feel safe, especially in their own town, and just appreciate everybody and to allow people to live and love freely.”

Trans Wakefield chairperson, Christene Jayne Backhouse, spoke about the role of medicine – this year’s LGBT History Month’s theme – in transgender lives.

She said: “It is very disappointing that many GPs don’t have the necessary skills and expertise.”

She also discussed some of the barriers that those in the community face in accessing appropriate medical care and support. She said events such as the Turning Point event can help to raise awareness.

Rob Bray, Isolated Communities worker at Turning Point, said: “What I hope from this event today is an awareness, education. It shows the community that we're respectful, we want to know more about them, and it also gives them an opportunity for them to educate us and inform us.

"Wakefield is so rich in different diverse cultures and communities, I think we need to be more a part of that.

"We want them to feel they're important, we want them to feel that we know you, we see you, we understand.

"By having someone like the mayor to come, it's letting them know, we know you're here, we want to celebrate.”

Sheidah Haghighi, deputy operations manager at Turning Point Inspiring Recovery, said: “There is a stigma in the community.

"The prevalence of today's event is to try and break down the barriers and to stop the stigma, and just being a bit more appreciative and inclusive of everybody regardless of what their gender options are.

"If they have a health and well-being need, then it should be available for everybody.”

Turning Point is a health and social care service which operates across the UK offering support in drugs and alcohol, mental health, sexual health, and learning disabilities.

Inspiring Recovery and its sister company Talking Therapies are parts of the Turning Point service based in Wakefield.

Find more information about the services Turning Point Inspiring Recovery offers on its website. Information on Turning Point Talking Therapies can be found on its Facebook page.