The evening was hosted by Deborah Frances-White with performances from Sans Soucis, Horse and Heather Peace
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGES BY JONATHAN PHANG
What a night! The DIVA Charitable Trust (DCT) Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony returned for another glitzy, powerful and inspiring evening to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ women and non-binary people making waves in our community. Taking place on 24 April, the event acted as a cornerstone of this year’s Lesbian Visibility Week (20-26 April).
Hosted by podcaster, author and screenwriter Deborah Frances-White, the evening also saw incredible performances from Sans Soucis and Horse. A particularly powerful moment saw Horse and Heather Peace come together on stage for a rendition of Donna Summer’s hit No More Tears. The room was packed full of game-changing LGBTQIA+ women and non-binary people from our community, including Christine McGuinness, Mzz Kimberley, Jessica Kellgren-Fozard and more.
The evening was kicked off with powerful speeches from DCT’s executive director, Lady Phyll and DIVA’s editor-in-chief, Roxy Bourdillon. A central focus of this year’s DCT Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony was to platform the incredible work of DCT.
Lady Phyll said: “Tonight is a celebration of brilliance, talent and leadership across our community, but it is also a reminder of why the work of DIVA Charitable Trust matters so deeply. At a time when too many LGBTQIA+ women and non-binary people are still navigating systems that were not designed with them in mind, spaces like this are not just about recognition, they are about visibility with purpose. Our role as a charity is to ensure that visibility translates into lasting change in culture, in policy, and in people’s everyday lives.”
DIVA Awards 2026 winners
myGwork LGBTQIA+ Network Champion Award
Winner: Alessia Cavallini, Kantar
Highly Commended: Bobbie Saxon, Diageo
Kearney Innovation Award
Winner: Voda
Highly Commended: Erica Rose
CoreRecruitment Writer Award
Winner: Isabella Dorta
Highly Commended: Ellen Jones
Centrica Media Moment Award
Winner: Women’s Rugby World Cup Final 2025
Highly Commended: Kesha and Trans Voices, Mighty Hoopla Festival 2025
Deutsche Bank Diversity Champion Award
Winner: Tolu Osinubi, Deloitte
Highly Commended: Adelle Barker, Sky UK Ltd
LGBTQIA+ Network Award
Winner: LGBTQ+ at Sky, Sky UK Ltd
Highly Commended: Spectrum, Barclays
London Women’s Clinic Creator Award
Winner: Jessica Kellgren-Fozard
Highly Commended: CurvyBlackWitch (Janae Owyn) and Oscar Davies
UK Black Pride Community Initiative Award
Winner: Glitter Cymru
Highly Commended: Black Queers Connect
Jackdaw Media Icon Award
Winner: Rita Hirani & DJ Ritu, Club Kali
Highly Commended: jane fae
Inspirational Role Model Award
Winner: Rebecca Paisis, Pride in London
Highly Commended: Dani St James
BNP Paribas Ally Award
Winner: Jolyon Maugham
Highly Commended: Balvinder Sopal
Allianz Commercial Changemaker Award
Winner: Claire Harvey MBE, Founder of Not In Our Name (NION)
Highly Commended: Laïla El-Métoui, Founder & CEO of LEM Education
Diversity Umbrella Sport Award
Winner: Lionesses
Highly Commended: Amanda Wah
Lifetime Achievement
Winner: Mzz Kimberley
Love media made by and for LGBTQIA+ women and gender diverse people? Then you’ll love DIVA. We’ve been spotlighting the community for over 30 years. Here’s how you can get behind queer media and keep us going for another generation: linkin.bio/ig-divamagazine
Did you know that DIVA has now become a charity? Our magazine is published by the DIVA Charitable Trust. You can find out more about the organisation and how you can offer your support here: divacharitabletrust.com
