Trust awarded Rainbow Tick
In recognition of the Trust’s ongoing commitment to equality and diversity, we have received a prestigious award.
The Trust received the highest level of recognition from the Barnsley LGBT Forum for the work we have done in recent years to provide an equal and inclusive environment for staff and people who use our services.
The Rainbow Tick gold award demonstrates that the organisation is a safe and trusted environment for the LGBT community, their families and staff. It recognises the organisation for high quality ethics and practices towards the LGBT community and a commitment to continue this work in the future.
The rainbow flag has long been associated with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and symbolises the diverse nature of the society we live in. By displaying the Rainbow Tick, the Trust reaffirms its view that hate crime, harassment and negative behaviour will not be tolerated.
Vikki Padgett, equality and inclusion development manager at the Trust was initially presented with the award at the Barnsley LGBT Forum AGM in April. She said: “We are proud to receive such recognition from members of the community we serve. This is a testament to the hard work being done across the Trust to raise awareness and understanding of the LGBT community.
“By involving people from the LGBT community in our work we ensure that our work really is done with all of us in mind. This award isn’t the end of our work promoting engagement with the LGBT community – it’s just the start! We will continue to share best practice across the organisation and work alongside our partner organisations to tackle discrimination.”
Kevan Riggett co-chair of the Barnsley LGBT Forum presented the award to Trust chair Ian Black and chief executive Steven Michael on behalf of the Forum at a recent Members’ Council meeting. He said: “I’m delighted to be able to present our Rainbow Tick gold award to the Trust. It’s a real achievement to celebrate – South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is the first NHS organisation to receive recognition for their work by the Forum.
“Projects run by the Trust, such as the Sticks and Stones Creative Minds project have made a massive difference to local people and helped change the perception of the LGBT community. By listening to, and involving just one minority group it shows that you can improve outcomes for every group.”
You can find out more about the work being done in Barnsley by the Sticks and Stones project by visiting the Trust’s website. If you would like to find out more about the Barnsley LGBT Forum you can visit www.barnsleylgbtforum.org.uk.