Octavia was one of the three founders of the National Trust. A pioneering thinker and social reformer, Octavia was determined to improve urban housing and protect green spaces. In 1877, along with her sister Miranda, Octavia set up the Kyrle Society, aiming to bring nature, arts and music to everyone.

Ivor was the first Black official in the British Colonial Office and greeted the Caribbean passengers travelling on the Empire Windrush. Ivor lived his life as an openly gay man, at a time when homosexuality was considered a crime in England and was punishable by chemical castration or imprisonment. Ivor worked tirelessly throughout his life to advocate for the rights of Black people, in Britain and overseas.

Annie was a leading suffragette and socialist feminist. From a working-class background, Annie became a member of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU). As the WSPU moved to recruit more middle-class women Annie became known as the only working-class women to achieve prominence within the organisation. A blue plaque at 23 Gordon Road, Clifton, signifies Annie’s time spent in Bristol and highlights how she helped shape the political history of Britain and of the Women’s movement in the later 20th century.

Chalie was a prominent British political campaigner, trade unionist, feminist and trans pioneer. Charlie was the first openly transgender man to stand for Parliament in the UK. Was at Greenham Common. Special Collections at the University holds many artifacts from Greenham Common as part of the Feminist Archive South collection. Charlie’s memoir, A New Man, which chronicles Charlie’s journey from proud lesbian and feminist, through gender dysphoria and eventual transition, has been reissued for 2025.

Olaudah was a writer and abolitionist. Having been sold into slavery at the age of 11, Olaudah was forced to perform back-breaking labour and witness the brutal treatment of other enslaved people. During his enslavement, Olaudah learned how to read and write and became proficient in several languages, including English, French and Spanish. Olaudah purchased his freedom for £40 and settled in London. In publishing his autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Olaudah helped shape public opinion about the slave trade and he was instrumental in pushing for legislative change.

Being able to work confidently and competently with your team to help all members reach their full potential and thrive at work can be rewarding but sometimes feel daunting. Cultural competency is an approach which helps to understand the nuances and ways in which we can work with others in inclusive ways by understanding how individual and cultural factors influence behaviours and ways of working.

This workshop will give you the opportunity explore cultural competency in an interactive safe space where you can think about how you can embed key elements into your practice. You will be able to share ideas and learning with other managers.

Following a successful pilot session, we are pleased to confirm the following dates. Booking is open on Develop.

IVY GATE BUILDING G.01, Monday, 03/02/25, 13:00-16:00

Film screening, 19^th February 2025, 12.30pm – 1.30pm, C42 Biomedical Sciences Building.

Join us for a special screening of Gateways Grind in celebration of LGBTQ+ History Month! Narrated by Sandi Toksvig, this insightful documentary delves into the rich history of London's iconic Gateways Club—the longest-surviving lesbian club in the UK. Through interviews with former patrons and archival footage, the film captures the club's significance as a sanctuary and vibrant social hub for lesbian women from the 1940s until its closure in 1985. Experience the stories of community, identity, and resilience that defined an era.

Don't miss this opportunity to honour and reflect on a pivotal piece of LGBTQ+ history! BOOK HERE

This event is for staff and students only and is held as a collaboration between the LGBTQ+ Staff Network and the FHLS EDI Committee

LGBTQ+ History Month Festival 2025 | Bristol Museums

22^nd February 2025, 10.45am – 4pm.

The LGBTQ+ Staff Network have planned a trip to this event. For anyone who would like to attend, please meet in the foyer of M Shed at 10.40am. There will be a group BYO lunch break at Wapping Wharf.

For more information about the Network please go to LGBTQ+ Staff Network | Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Team | University of Bristol

'Of intersection and intersectionalities or, putting cosmopolitanism into practice' 26^th February 2025, 12.30pm – 1.30pm.

We invite you to this TheirStories event with Professor Michele Acuto, which is taking place during LGBTQ+ History Month. From growing up in the Piemonte countryside in Italy to living in Norway, the UK, Australia, Singapore (amongst other countries!) before circling back to the UK, Michele will talk about his experiences of being a country boy at heart with a love for cities and of being a professional and semi-pro basketball player and talented chef. As a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, Michele is the temporary Senior Executive Sponsor of the LGBTQ+ Staff Network, is passionate about smashing workplace stereotypes and is driving the University of Bristol to become a globally civic-minded university that is welcoming and inclusive for all. Please book your place by going to Develop and searching for ‘TheirStores’.

Join this online training session delivered by Gendered Intelligence to learn more about what the term “trans” means, legislation relating to trans identities, and how the University can become more trans-inclusive.

31^st March 2025, 10.00am – 11.45am

10^th June 2025, 1.00pm – 2.45pm

Booking is available on Develop.

SCHOOLS OUT Event Calendar - LGBT+ History Month