Best of LGBQTI Britain celebrated at Rainbow Honours 🌈

Sue Perkins, Sadiq Khan and Sue Sanders among the honourees at the inaugural event at Madame Tussauds

Sue Perkins, Sadiq Khan and Sue Sanders were among the honourees at the inaugural Rainbow Honours last night, Wednesday 4 December.  

Designed to celebrate those who work to further LGBQTI equality 365 days a year, the Rainbow Honours are different from any other LGBTQI awards event. It is an evening of celebration to shine a light on those unsung heroes and sheroes who give up their spare time to volunteer and strive to make the world a better place for the LGBTQ community. 

Presented by Drag Race royalty Courtney Act and boyband legend Duncan James, the star-studded ceremony took place at the iconic Madame Tussauds in central London, with awards given to those familiar faces and companies who have given their time and support to challenge intolerance, injustice and hatred. 

Each category also presented its very own commended award for those whom the judges felt deserved their own special recognition at the event, with individual awards named after an LGBTQI hero. George Michael, Audre Lorde, Freddie Mercury and Lyra McKee were among those remembered on the evening.  

A series of major awards were up for grabs this year, including the Rainbow Honours Lifetime Achievement Award, Media Moment, LGBTQ Icon, New LGBTQ Network Group and Trans Advocate. 

Winners included LGBTQI homelessness charity akt, all-women garage, Spanners With Manners and campaigner Peter Tatchell.

So honoured to win Audre Lorde Campaigner/Influencer Award @RainbowHonours tonight. I feel so privileged to have been part of the UK & global LGBT+ freedom movement for 50 years. I salute activists in countries where homosexuality is still a crime. Heroes! #RainbowHonours19 pic.twitter.com/NRZayBgjQc

— Peter Tatchell (@PeterTatchell) December 4, 2019

So proud that @aktcharity won charity of the year @RainbowHonours tonight pic.twitter.com/sBQIIzWG3h

— Tim Spoor MBE (@TimSpoor7) December 4, 2019

To round off the night, a special Lifetime Achievement Award was delivered to LGBTQI activist Sue Sanders, chair of education charity Schools Out, who has worked towards equality, safety and visibility in educate for LGBTQI people since 1974. 

Rainbow Honours winners 2019

LGBTQ NETWORK GROUP

Winner – AdobeProud Network – Adobe

Commended – Spectrum – GSK

NEW LGBTQ NETWORK GROUP

Winner – Prism – Jacobs

Commended – Kingfisher Plc & Greene King

LGBTQ CHAMPION

Winner – Bobbi Pickard – BP

Commended – Kevin Poulter – Freeths

HOUSING PROVIDER

Winner – Catalyst Housing​

Commended – Metropolitan Thames Valley

SMALL BRAND

Winner – Spanners with Manners

Commended – Kings Cross Steelers 

LARGE ORGANISATION-BRAND

Winner – Touchstone

Commended – Procter & Gamble

TRANS ADVOCATE

Winner – Adrian Harrop – Doctor & LGBT Campaigner

Commended – Ruth Hunt – Former CEO of Stonewall

CORPORATE ALLY

Winner – Keziah Halliday – NHS England

Commended – Pete Markey – TSB Bank

CHARITY

Winner – akt

Commended – Mermaids

MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Winner – Skittles

Commended – NHS Rainbow Badges

CAMPAIGNER / INFLUENCER

Winner – Peter Tatchell

Commended – Munroe Bergdorf 

CELEBRITY ALLY

Winner – Sadiq Khan

Commended – Caitlin Moran 

MEDIA MOMENT

Winner – Brookside – Lesbian Kiss

Commended – Lesbian invasion of the BBC Newsroom 

LGBTQ ICON

Winner – Sue Perkins

Commended – Gareth Thomas

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

Winner – Sue Sanders

Find out more at rainbowhonours.com.

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