So, to tell you first about what I do. Everything I do is voluntary. I get no financial reward for any of it.

The reward I do get though is the satisfaction of knowing that I’ve made a difference towards the understanding and awareness of the LGBT community.

I am a hate crime ambassador and independent advisor to Sussex Police. I also serve as an advisor on the forces Trans External Reference Group, their Stop and Search Scrutiny Panel, the force Command Contact and Control Centre Department advisory group, and the Sussex Police LGBT reference group. I am also a public member of the Sussex Police LGBT Network.

I am a member of the South East Crown Prosecution Service Advisory group.

I am an independent Custody Visitor for the Sussex Police Crime Commissioners Office

I am a Stonewall Schools Role Model

I am the Bluebell Heritage Railways Equality, Inclusion and Diversity advisor and a regular event volunteer for the railway

I am also A National Diversity Mentor and founder of an International Lgbt Hate Support Group on Social Media.

I was born Male in 1955. I spent the first 58 years of my life questioning my identity. Trying to fight my inner self was tough. Doing the macho things, getting married, having children but never happy. Mental health problems and suicidal thoughts triggered my inner self to come out to the world, and in 2014 I changed my name by deed poll to Joanne I had joined the Sourh East Coast Ambulance Service as a volunteer community first responder and became a Diversity Champion for the trust. However in 2016 I had to leave the service due to a life threatening medical condition that I still have.

I diverted my passion for all things Diversity related Sussex Police where I was welcomed as an Independent Advisor and Hate Crime Ambassador, shortly afterwards joining as a voluntary member some of the Forces reference groups. Part of my role in these groups is to help the police become more transparent over diversity issues and enable them to be proactively seen as an inclusive workplace.

I also trained as a Stonewall Schools Role Model. I have given several talks in different schools to Students between the ages of 11 and 18 about my life, focusing on bullying and how it affected me. Education of youth about Diversity, is of paramount importance to the creation of a more accepting society in the future. I had Gender surgery in 2017 and became legally female. I have talked on local radio stations on many occasions when transgender issues pop up in the news. My honesty and integrity is always appreciated.

I’ve had several operations over the last few years but despite my ill health I rise like the Phoenix from the ashes to continue my passion for supporting the LGBT community and by being open and authentic with all the people I come into contact with I know I am making a difference to the understanding of what it’s like to be born into the wrong body. Busting the myths surrounding it and being respected for doing so.

I am the Bluebell Railways EID advisor and regularly volunteer my time to help out at events. My mere presence has changed the attitudes of people towards the LGBT community.

As an independent custody Visitor for the police crime Commissioners office, I visit detainees to ensure they are being treated with dignity and respect.

Last year, after some vile hate on Social media that was directed towards me i decided i needed to do more. Rather than let the hate destroy me, I turned negativity into positivity and founded a private facebook group called International Lgbt Hate Support. The aim of this was to support anyone in the lgbt community who was suffering hate on any level.

I was asked to join the South East Crown Prosecution Services advisory group.

I am passionate about raising awareness and understanding about the Lgbt community. We are all human beings and should respect the values that we all hold. Diversity exists. There is a lot to do to get total acceptance but I believe that no matter how small it may be, I am making a positive difference