Cheshire Fire & Rescue flying the flag for LGBT
FEBRUARY marks LGBT History Month, an annual celebration which aims to raise awareness and visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, their lives, history, and experiences.
To mark the celebration,
Cheshire fire stations and headquarters are flying the rainbow flag.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) has a proud history of being committed to equality and inclusion and LGBT History Month is an important date in their annual calendar.
CFRS has been the top performing emergency service in the UK for the past five years, ranking third in a pool of over 500 organisations in the Stonewall
Workplace Top 100 Employers list in 2020.
Ruby Kwong, client account manager at Stonewall, said: “As the highest-performing emergency services organisation in our Workplace Equality Index since 2015, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service has continually demonstrated their commitment to LGBT+ inclusion, both in the workplace and the wider community.
“In 2020, CFRS was named as one of our top trans employers, further demonstrating their commitment to supporting the LGBT+ community.”
Cheshire’s Chief Fire Officer Mark Cashin said: “Raising awareness of, and supporting, diversity is very important to us. For example, research shows that many LGBT people still do not readily engage with public agencies like the fire and rescue service, out of fear of discrimination, which may result in them being more at risk.
“It is so important that we continue to show a visible commitment to our LGBT communities.
“Equally, it is important that our staff are able to be themselves at work.
“Supporting all our staff, regardless of sexual orientation or gender, enables them to give their best at work without fear of discrimination, armed with the knowledge that they are fully supported.”