Meet elop Pride of Waltham Forest Award winners in 2023

The Pride of Waltham Forest Awards are back, and nominations are open until 5pm on Friday 11 July.

In this article, Cllr Grace Williams, Leader of Waltham Forest Council, tells us why she selected LGBT+ mental health and wellbeing charity elop for the Leaders Award in 2023. We also spoke to elop about what it meant to be recognised as the Pride of Waltham Forest.

Cllr Grace Williams: Why elop deserved the Leaders Award

I am so excited that the Pride of Waltham Forest Awards are back for 2025 – I love hearing about all the amazing work being done by individuals, community groups and volunteers across this wonderful borough.

Last time we held the awards was in 2023 and it was such a difficult decision to narrow all the contenders down to one winner for the Leaders Award.

While judging the shortlist, I wanted to present the award to people who have reached across communities and gone above and beyond to include the most vulnerable residents.

That was why it was my great privilege to crown elop as winners; it was a richly deserved accolade as they have done so much for the LGBT+ community.

This group have provided a safe space to residents for nearly 30 years, lobbying against discrimination and fighting for the rights of our people.

And now, elop’s work is more important than ever. We thank them for their continued efforts to protect our LGBT+ community and I look forward to them hosting our Waltham Forest Pride event in Lloyd Park next month.

Do you know of a person or organisation as inspiring as elop? Across our borough, we see so many examples of the community coming together and I want to hear about all the people who make Waltham Forest a better and more welcoming place for everyone.

Make sure you nominate them today – in one of our nine categories – and we’ll be celebrating the pride of Waltham Forest at the awards ceremony in September.

Sarah Humphreys, elop

What does it mean to have received the Leader’s Award at the Pride of Waltham Forest Awards?

Receiving the Leader’s Award at the Pride of Waltham Forest Awards is a tremendous honour. It recognises the powerful impact of elop’s work in supporting the LGBTQ+ community across the borough and beyond; work that has been saving and changing lives for 30 years.  This award is a testament to the dedication of our staff, trustees, and volunteers, whose collective efforts drive the positive change we create within the LGBTQ+ community and the wider society.  We are proud to be part of a borough that not only celebrates those making a difference but also stands up for diversity, inclusion, and those facing inequality.

What does it mean to have been nominated and recognised by your community?

Being nominated and recognised by our community is deeply meaningful. It affirms that the work we do truly matters and is making a positive impact. It’s an honour to be seen and valued by the very people we serve and stand alongside. We’re also proud that this recognition not only highlights elop as an organisation but helps to raise the visibility of the LGBTQ+ community, especially at a time when it feels increasingly unsafe to be LGBTQ+ in the world.