As the previous CEO of transgender support charity Beyond Reflections, Andi (they/them) led a huge rebrand and update on the organisation that made the service more accessible and more approachable to the transgender and gender diverse community in Southampton.

This was direly needed, as noticed by how many more people engaged with the service who otherwise wouldn’t have. Because of their vision and efforts, many of our most vulnerable community members have been able to access support, including people otherwise isolated by their experiences and challenges.

In difficult times like this where the transgender community is often under scrutiny, attack and negativity, having a charity in the city that understands the needs of that community is critical, especially as national and local mental health services are so stretched. Because of the specific experiences of trans people, to have a space where you don’t need to explain or justify yourself is invaluable and can be life-saving.