This year’s annual ceremony celebrated 30 years of DIVA and the contributions of LGBTQIA women and non-binary people
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On Friday 26 April, as part of Lesbian Visibility Week (22-28 April), the DIVA Awards, headline sponsored by London Stock Exchange Group, took place at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, Great Queen Street, London.
The annual award ceremony was more hotly anticipated than ever before since this year marks DIVA magazine’s historic 30th birthday. As well as celebrating the contributions of LGBTQIA women and non-binary people and their allies, this year’s event was also celebrating the last three decades of changemakers, and the trailblazers shaping a brighter, more inclusive future.
Author and actor Sophie Ward was this year’s host and attendees were treated to performances from Lucy Spraggan and West End Star Elesha Paul Moses from Tina The Musical. A wealth of celebrities attended, including Dame Kelly Holmes, Nicola Sturgeon, Sinitta, Steph McGovern, Sally Lindsay, Claire Sweeney, Joe McFadden, Lianne Sanderson and Anna Richardson as well as MP’s Dawn Butler, Hannah Bardell and Kate Osborne. This year’s ceremony also featured a special appearance from Dannii Minogue who also presented an award on the night.
Founder of the DIVA Awards and Lesbian Visibility Week, Linda Riley, said: “I am absolutely delighted that we have celebrated DIVA’s 30th birthday in such a great way. The people honoured here tonight are the organisations that are doing so much to increase visibility in the workplace, and the trailblazing LGBTQIA women and non-binary people of our community who have made such an enormous difference over the past three decades. I’m enormously proud of DIVA and Lesbian Visibility Week and the work we are doing to ensure that this community has a voice and it is heard.”
DIVA Award 2024 Winners
Outstanding Contribution to Lesbian Visibility
Kate Osborne MP
Deliveroo Diversity Champion of the Year
Winner: Jacqui Rhule-Dagher, Hogan Lovells International LLP
Highly Commended: Amanda Elwen, The Emily Davison Centre & Loving Me Service
BNP Paribas Corporate Champion of the Year
Winner: Sarah Rock, Boodle Hatfield LLP
Highly Commended: Charlene Marecheau, KPMG
Kantar Inspirational Role Model of the Year:
Winner: Kit Morey, Paramount
Highly Commended: Netanya Clixby, Sidley Austin LLP
myGwork LGBTQIA Network of the Year:
Winner: Pride@Kantar, Kantar
Highly Commended: Pride at Pandora, Pandora Jewellery
EY Head of Diversity of the Year:
Winner: Marie-Helene Tyack, Allianz Commercial
Highly Commended: Ellis Cook, Channel 4
Noteworthy 30 Years of DIVA Honouree: Heather Peace
Jackdaw Media 30 Years of DIVA Honouree: Sandi Toksvig OBE
Pareto FM 30 Years of DIVA Honouree: Club Kali
UK Black Pride 30 Years of DIVA Honouree: Nana & Ro – Two Twos Podcast
Centrica 30 Years of DIVA Honouree: Sue Sanders
30 Years of DIVA Honouree: Biscuit
LSEG 30 Years of DIVA Honouree: Heartstopper
Sedulo 30 Years of DIVA Honouree: Rachel Shelley
Dorchester Collection 30 Years of DIVA Honouree: Brookside 1994 Lesbian Kiss
Paramount 30 Years of DIVA Honouree: Annie Wallace
Corecruitment 30 Years of DIVA Honouree: Phyll Opoku-Gyimah
ISS UK & Ireland 30 Years of DIVA Honouree: Adele Roberts
BT Group 30 Years of DIVA Honouree: Joelle Taylor
Diversity Role Models 30 Years of DIVA Honouree: Lisa Power MBE
Trans In The City 30 Years of DIVA Honouree: Switchboard
30 Years of DIVA Honouree: The Lioness Legends
30 Years of DIVA Outstanding Contribution to the LGBTQIA Community: Linda Riley
DIVA magazine celebrates 30 years in print in 2024. If you like what we do, then get behind LGBTQIA media and keep us going for another generation. Your support is invaluable.
