The Bank of London has announced the winners of this year’s Rainbow Honours; the UK’s LGBTQ+ awards event which celebrates the best of British and international LGBTQ+ talent, as well as the allies and organisations who support them.
This year’s star-studded event took place in London on Wednesday 1 June and hosted by comedian Julian Clary and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK alumnus Victoria Scone. World-renowned author and actor Stephen Fry scooped the Celebrity Champion of the Year honour at the annual LGBTQ+ awards extravaganza. ITV’s For the Love of Dogs star O’Grady received a a special recognition award for his stellar work to advance the rights of LGBTQ+ people in Britain and around the world. Brookside icon Claire Sweeney, who is currently starring in the West End’s Proud Cabaret show, won Celebrity Ally of the Year Award; while RuPaul’s Drag Race UK was named Media Moment of the Year.
INSPIRING LGBTQ+ ROLE MODELS & ALLIES
The London Stock Exchange Group, a staple of the city, was honoured with Large Brand of the Year; while pubs giant Greene King was bestowed with the LGBTQI Network gong. Mermaids, a charity which has been supporting transgender, nonbinary and gender-diverse children, young people and their families since 1995, was honoured with Charity of the Year award; and presented with a cheque for £10,000 by the headline sponsor, The Bank of London.
Meanwhile, Eugenio Pirri of the luxury hotelier the Dorchester Collection won Inspirational Role Model of the Year award; with global pension fund Legal and General collecting Outstanding LGBTQI Network Group honour; and Pete Markey from retailer Boots was named Corporate Ally.
UK Black Pride, Europe’s largest celebration for LGBTQI+ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American and Middle Eastern-descent, collected the coveted Community Initiative of the Year prize; as well as a cheque from sponsors GSK for £5,000. Rupert Whitaker and Martyn Butler, founders of the Terrence Higgins Trust, the UK’s leading HIV and sexual health charity, scooped the Lifetime Achievement Award.
“There were so many deserving LGBTQ+ people and allies who have been recognised this evening. It is fantastic to be part of this awards ceremony,” shared Julian Clary.
ADVANCING LGBTQ+ RIGHTS
Commenting on the awards, Rainbow Honours founder, Linda Riley, stated: “We were delighted to be able to pay tribute to the wonderful LGBTQI people, celebrities, brands and allies who have spent the past 12 months advancing the rights of our community. All of the winners and nominees are incredibly deserving.”
Anthony Watson, Founder and Group Chief Executive of The Bank of London, added: “At The Bank of London, we’re proud to be marking Pride Month by sponsoring The Bank of London Rainbow Honours – a celebration to shine a light on every aspect of LGBTQI community (and our allies) and honour those individuals who went above and beyond, often in the face of intense criticism and hostility. We warmly congratulate the well deserved individuals and organisations who have been honoured today.”
2022 RAINBOW HONOURS WINNERS
The full list of winners and highly commended (by category) are as follows:
RAINBOW HONOURS CHOICE AWARD
Winner: Paul O’Grady
LGBTQI CORPORATE CHAMPION OF THE YEAR (sponsored by This Generation)
Winner: Deon Pillay – Legal & General
Highly Commended: Jamie Christon – Chester Zoo
HOUSING PROVIDER OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Focus)
Winner: Riverside
Highly Commended: Folio
SMALL BRAND OF THE YEAR (sponsored by The Bank of London)
Winner: myGwork
Highly Commended: Gay’s the Word
INSPIRATIONAL ROLE MODEL OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Optum)
Winner: Eugenio Pirri – Dorchester Collection
Highly Commended: Sarah Rock – Fladgate
LARGE BRAND OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Denovo Legal Services)
Winner: London Stock Exchange Group
Highly Commended: TikTok
OUTSTANDING LGBTQI NETWORK GROUP (sponsored by Ruebik)
Winner: Legal & General – LGBT+ Allies Network
Highly Commended: BP Pride
NEW LGBTQI NETWORK
Winner: Greene King – The Village Greene
Highly Commended: NHS – BHRUT LGBT+ Network
COMMUNITY INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR (sponsored by GSK)
Winner: UK Black Pride
Highly Commended: Intersex Equality Rights UK
CORPORATE ALLY OF THE YEAR
Winner: Pete Markey – Boots
Highly Commended: Sarah Breeden – Bank of England
CHARITY OF THE YEAR (sponsored by The Bank of London)
Winner: Mermaids
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
Winner: Naz and Matt Foundation – Out And Proud Parents Day
Highly Commended: Terrence Higgins Trust – ‘Life Really Changed…’
CAMPAIGNER / INFLUENCER OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Deliveroo)
Winner: Yasmin Benoit
Highly Commended: Peter Tatchell
CELEBRITY ALLY OF THE YEAR
Winner: Claire Sweeney
Highly Commended: Lewis Hamilton
MEDIA MOMENT OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Jackdaw Media)
Winner: RuPaul’s Drag Race UK
Highly Commended: It’s a Sin
LGBTQI CELEBRITY CHAMPION OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Sedulo)
Winner: Stephen Fry
Highly Commended: Emeli Sande
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT (sponsored by Raytheon)
Winner: Rupert Whitaker and Martyn Butler – Terrence Higgins Trust
Check out the complete list of the finalists for its 2022 Rainbow Honours awards, by clicking here.
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