Jacqui’s drive for equality is recognised with top award
Jacqui Gavin with Dame Sue Owen. Picture: CONTRIBUTED - Credit: Archant
The prime minister has recognised a woman from Warboys for improving transgender equality in the workplace.
Jacqui Gavin is a civil servant and transgender activist who has been a driving force behind improving transgender issues across Government departments and the wider workplace.
She was the first ever chairman of the Transgender Network within the Department for Work and Pensions, followed by chairman of ‘a:gender’, the cross-government support network for transgender and intersex civil servants.
Outside of the civil service, Jacqui is a speaker and ambassador for several LGBT charities, promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace and the importance of eradicating homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in schools.
In October last year, Jacqui also organised a conference, ‘This is Us’, in Milton Keynes to highlight LGBT issues in the workplace. Her work has been recognised nationally at the 2015 Excellence in Diversity Awards, and as Diversity Champion at the British LGBT Awards in 2016.
Jacqui is the latest recipient of the Points of Light award, which recognises outstanding volunteers who are making a change in their community and inspiring others.
Someone in the UK is selected to receive the award every day to celebrate their remarkable achievements. Jacqui was presented with her award at a Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport event on Valentine’s Day to mark LGBT History Month by Dame Sue Owen.
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In a letter to Jacqui, Prime Minister Theresa May said: “By drawing on your long experience as a transgender activist, you have had a remarkably positive effect on improving diversity and inclusion for LGBT people both within the civil service and across society.”
Jacqui said: “There are very few times that I am left speechless but this is one of those times. I am immensely honoured and humbled to receive this award for being myself and I feel grateful to the civil service and the prime minister for this recognition for simply being myself.”
Jacqui is the 1,121st winner of the Points of Light award, which has been developed in partnership with the Points of Light programme in the USA.
