Annual General Meeting & Panel Discussion 2025

🌈 Annual General Meeting & Panel Discussion 2025
Thursday, 4 December 2025
5:00 – 7:45 PM
University of Westminster
4–12 Little Titchfield Street, Marylebone, London W1W 7BY

Programme
5:00 PM – Welcome & AGM
Join us for updates on our projects, finances, and achievements from the
past year — and share your questions, feedback, and ideas for the year
ahead.
5:45 PM – Panel Discussion:
Together We Are Stronger: Resilience Amongst LGBTQ+ Communities
Chaired by Professor Pippa Catterall, University of Westminster.
Speakers:
Rachel Blake MP – Cities of London and Westminster
Cllr Patrick Lilley – West End Ward, Westminster
Professor Dibyesh Anand – Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement & Employability), University of Westminster

6:15 PM – Guest Presentation:
Emeritus Professor Zoë Playdon, distinguished author and historian of LGBTQ+ rights, presents her analysis of the recent Supreme Court decision.
(10-minute talk + 20-minute Q&A)
 
6:45 – 7:45 PM – Networking & Social
Enjoy refreshments, connect with others, and join the conversation about the Forum’s plans for 2026.

All welcome!
This free event celebrates our shared achievements and resilience.
Come meet your local LGBTQ+ community, allies, and councillors – together we are stronger.

Bios:
Professor Dibyesh Anand,
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement and Employability) at the
University of Westminster, is a leading scholar in international
relations. Author of three acclaimed monographs, he researches
postcolonial politics, nationalism, and equality. He also chairs
Westminster’s and London Higher’s EDI committees and advises Research
England on inclusion.
 
Cllr Patrick Lilley,
Deputy Cabinet Member for Economic Development at Westminster City
Council, combines over a decade in event promotion, marketing, and
communications with a passion for Soho’s advancement and LGBT+ rights.
He champions diversity, inclusion, and economic growth through strong
public engagement and community-focused leadership.
 
Pippa Catterall
is Professor of History and Policy at the University of Westminster,
and the co-chair of the Westminster LGBT+ Forum. She is a trans woman
and her many publications include her co-authored report for the Royal
Historical Society on LGBT+ Histories and Historians (2020) whilst her
current work focuses on LGBTQ+ inclusion in public space.
 
Rachel Blake
is the MP for Cities of London and Westminster since 2024. She has a
background in policy, regeneration and local government, and is active
on social issues such as employment rights, homelessness and modern
slavery.
www.rachelblake.org.uk
 
Zoë Playdon
is the Emeritus Professor of Medical Humanities at the University of
London. A former co-chair of the Gay and Lesbian Association of Doctors
and Dentists [GLADD] and co-founder of the Parliamentary Forum on Gender
Identity, Zoë’s recent book about UK trans experience, The Hidden Case
of Ewan Forbes, won a Stonewall US Honor Award.
www.zoeplaydon.com
 
The Forum warmly thanks the University of Westminster for hosting this event and providing catering, and the West End & St James’s Ward councillors for their generous support through the Westminster Council Ward Budget Fund.
#WestminsterLGBTForum
#LGBTQCommunityLondon #TogetherWeAreStronger #QueerResilience #AGM2025
#LGBTQVoices #InclusiveLeadership #QueerHistoryMatters
 
Support Our Event: If you’d like to help sustain the wider work of the Westminster LGBT+ Forum, including our core running costs and future community initiatives, we
would still be very grateful for your donation. Every contribution
strengthens our ability to create safe, inclusive spaces and amplify
LGBTQ+ voices. Support our work by donating via our SumUp/Card link, or email [email protected] for bank transfer details.
 
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