2023 Shortlisted Nominee
Community Organisation Award: LGBT
Squirrel Friends is a Transgender Network founded by transgender individuals to provide a safe space for all people who identify under the transgender umbrella. The founders of the Squirrel Friends were struggling to find unbiased support themselves and wanted to help others who could relate. The Network is for anyone aged 16+ and is open to friends and family of loved ones needing support. In just one year, they have expanded from a small group of 50 primarily based in South Wales to over 300 members across the UK and internationally. This amazing organisation has provided a safe environment for individuals to be themselves, feel less isolated and understood, which in turn helps to decrease stress and anxiety. They are also becoming a trusted source of information around gender identity for other organisations which is helping to educate and shape the wider transgender landscape within the UK.