Employee wins LGBT gong
● A CHESHIRE police employee has won a special award at the British LGBT Awards 2017.
The force’s head of legal services, David Bryan, was named as the Corporate Straight Ally Of The Year at the ceremony in London on Friday, May 12.
The British LGBT Awards celebrate the UK’s most loved LGBT personalities, innovators and companies.
Other winners on the night included Prince William, who won the Straight Ally Of The Year award.
David has been a senior leader in the police service for four years.
Up until 2013 he specialised in social care, education and criminal justice in local authorities and probation trusts in Yorkshire and the North West.
A Cheshire police spokesman said David is a ‘committed’ supporter of LGBT equality, accepting with huge pride the role of senior champion firstly for West Yorkshire Probation Trust and subsequently for Cheshire police, both of which made it into the Stonewall Top 100 Employers under his watch.
The category David won was decided by the competition’s judges and after receiving the award he said: “I feel really humbled to win this award.
“The police force is a long way down the road to becoming an inclusive organisation and I’m extremely proud to accept this on behalf of UK policing.
“Taking on the role of the LGBT Champion upon joining Cheshire is something I am extremely passionate about.
“I am fortunate to be able to influence change within the organisation not simply around LGBT inclusion but on the subject of all diversity both for staff and service users.”
Cheshire’s Deputy Chief Constable Janette McCormick said: “David is very well deserving of this award and we would like to congratulate him on his success.
“He has led on much of the work we have done to ensure we are an inclusive employer for LGBT staff so they know they are supported and can serve all communities.
“He has championed and supported LGBT staff and issues and should be rightly proud of the award.”