For many historians, the highlight of the latest MI5 declassification at the National Archives will be the multi-volume files on two of the world’s leading Communist historians, both British: Christopher Hill and Eric Hobsbawm. Christopher Hill’s file, which begins at KV2/3941, shows that he first came to MI5’s attention when he visited Russia in 1935 while an undergraduate at Oxford University. He returned to Russia in 1936 and joined the Communist Party. After WW2 MI5 considered Hill, then a Fellow (and later Master) of Balliol College as Q ‘one of the leading Communists at Oxford University’. In 1951 it applied successfully for a Home Office Warrant (HOW) to intercept Hill’s correspondence and telephone calls in the belief that this would increase MI5’s ‘knowledge of Communism and the Universities’ in general as well as of Hill’s own activities. The product of the HOW adds to our understanding of, for example, Hill’s decision to leave the Party in 1957 in protest against the leadership’s attempt to suppress criticism of the Soviet suppression of the Hungarian Rising in 1956. The Party leader, John Gollan, was overhead saying that Q ‘out of those who had left, he would not have done much to dissuade any of them, except Christopher Hill’. Hill wrote to Communist Party HQ in an intercepted letter which is on his file: ‘We have been living for too long in a world of illusions. It was a smug, cosy little world…’
Unlike Hill, Eric Hobsbawm, whose file begins at KV2/3980, remained a Party member after the Hungarian Rising, though he fell out with some Party hardliners. The veteran hardliner D N Pritt was overheard complaining angrily to Gollan about Q ‘that nasty piece of work, Eric Hobsbawm’. Other senior Party figures were annoyed to discover that he was writing for the Daily Mail and other non-Communist publications under the pen-name ‘Francis Newton’. Hobsbawm, however, continued to encourage young people to join the Communist Party. In the last volume of his file to be released, which goes up to 1963, he’s reported, for example, as congratulating the West Middlesex Young Communist League on what he called the ‘encouraging results’ of its recruiting drive. The files also contain copies of Hobsbawm’s Party membership cards for the early 1960s, as well as intercepted correspondence and transcripts of telephone calls.
The MI5 files which attracted most media interest in the last declassification earlier this year were those on WW2 deception operations by an MI5 officer using the alias ‘Jack King’, who posed as a secret Gestapo representative in wartime Britain, a subterfuge that enabled him to identify British Nazi sympathisers. Some of the pro-Nazis even passed him secret information, including details of research into the jet engine, in the mistaken belief that he would pass it to Germany. Files in the latest release, beginning at KV2/3873, reveal for the first time that ‘King”s true identity was Eric Roberts. His file includes transcripts of conversations with Nazi sympathisers who suggested ways to damage the British war effort and assist a German invasion.
What is BlackRock? It is one of the largest vulture funds ever to gain control, by stealth of the financial affairs of entire countries and the people that live there. Its mode of operation is to buy up the debt of troubled organisations/companies and in doing so establish absolute control over the resources and land of nations. Any profits gathered to the pot are transferred to the many transnational companies who invest in BlackRock. The name of the game is profit which is largely achieved through the ruthless pruning of labour costs and the evasion of taxes through the use of a maze of subsiduary companies headquartered in offshore locations. Those who monitor the activities of hedge funds such as BlackRock need only to reflect on past/present turmoil in Ukraine, Greece, Nigeria, Congo, Argentina, Ecuador,, Panama, Peru, Indonesia and many other countries.
Who runs the USA government? Those who thought that Obama and Biden ran the country are deluded. BlackRock pulled all the strings!!
Larry Fink’s BlackRock dicatated the foreign and financial policies of President Obama’s and Biden’s governments. To achieve this he placed his investment executive Brian Deese in government to lead the National Economic Council, (NEC) effectively serving as the top economic advisor to Obama and Biden. Fink also added his former chief of staff, chief executive and longtime Democrat, Adewale “Wally” Adeyemo, to serve as one of the top official’s at the US Treasury Department.
And the UK is in BlackRock’s sights. Starmer, a devotee of Obama and Fink has had recent meetings with both of them discussing the expansion of “Freeports” and similar ventures which will remove the power of the voting public forever. No more unncessary elections to Westminster. BlackRock will appoint them. But faced with reality many voters chose to act like fools.
Contrast the as yet undisclosed agenda for the future of the UK; with Norway which nationalised oil and gas exploration and its production and refinement ensuring the control of all profits remained with the electorate. and Poland which introduced control measures, against the wishes of the EEC ensuring 90+ % of land would be owned in perpetuity by Poles.
Mark Twain said; ‘it’s easier to fool someone than to convince them they have been fooled’
It’s a new era for the World Economic Forum, and I feel that it neatly bridges past and future.
Today, the Forum’s board of trustees announced that André Hoffmann and Larry Fink take over as interim Chairs of the organization, following the departure of Klaus Schwab.
With that decision, the Forum is turning a page, and entering a new era, in which building bridges on the global stage is obviously harder, but as needed as ever.
I’m excited about their chairmanship, and I think those who wish the Forum well should be too. Why?
Andre and Larry bridge the past and the future of both the organization and the world economy.
First, they are both long time trustees and stewards of the Forum Spirit and its vision. There’s a clear choice for continuity in their appointment.
Before ESG became political plutonium, Fink endorsed it and included it in his leadership agenda. It’s something he talked to me about for “Stakeholder Capitalism”. If he later changed tack, it was arguably for good reason: shareholder democracy and stakeholder capitalism require business leaders to listen to their stakeholders.
As for Andre, his holistic approach to capitalism, including social, environmental, human, and financial capital, is a blue print of how capitalism could and should evolve going forward (I’m so convinced to have co-authored a book on the subject with him).
They also bridge the US and Europe, and their differing approaches to capitalism and democracy.
Andre is a true Swiss, and that’s what the Forum’s HQ needs. The Forum was always global in its reach, and inspired by the American way from the get go, but it is and remains Swiss and European in its DNA. For the organization to thrive in a changing world order, it needs a Swiss steward at the top.
Yet similarly, the organization cannot retreat to the old continent. The US economy is more vibrant and dynamic, and its political power is at a 21st century high. As such, you need an American at the helm, and few American business leaders are as influential as Fink.
There is much left to say still about the past and ongoing changes at the Forum. I am among many who have questions still. But for now, I couldn’t think of better news than this. Best of luck to them and to Børge Brende and the entire Forum leadership and team.
Britain i.e. England appointed Blaise Metreweli as the next MI6 chief, set to assume office in Oct. 2025. Her grandfather, Constantine Dobrowolski, was a Nazi collaborator from Ukraine who defected from the Red Army in 1941, aligned himself with Hitler’s intelligence apparatus, participated in the mass execution of Jews & resistance fighters, & signed his letters with Heil Hitler. Official wartime records from Soviet & German sources identify him as The Butcher.
Now his granddaughter has been chosen to take control of the British intelligence service at the very moment when Scotland’s decolonisation movement is gathering strength. This is not fiction. The appointment & timing are real. Overwhelming symbolism. A descendant of fascist terror will oversee the very agency charged with defending what remains of Britain’s colonial architecture. Scotland will see its national liberation monitored and potentially sabotaged by a person whose bloodline is tied to one of the darkest legacies of 21st authoritarianism.
British media have tried to reframe the appointment as a milestone for inclusion. Progress! The headlines speak of the 1st woman to lead MI6. The story ends there for most readers. Scotland cannot afford such selective amnesia. Metreweli’s agency is not a passive institution. It has long functioned as an active defender of colonial rule. In Kenya, Malaya, Ireland, etc., MI6 has worked to break freedom movements, especially linked to Scotland.
Scotland’s struggle is not regional adjustment but a national movement confronting a colonial structure that continues to disguise itself as a union. Metreweli has not yet taken office, but her appointment represents a conscious decision by the English state to reinforce its security apparatus in anticipation of what lies ahead. The aim is to block change. The British establishment sees clearly that Scotland’s demand for independence is not a constitutional debate; but a threat to the entire imperial legacy embedded in the internal architecture of the fake ‘UK’.
Metreweli bears no personal guilt for her grandfather’s crimes. The problem lies in the structure she has been chosen to lead. MI6 has never undergone decolonization. Its methods have changed, but its objectives remain intact. Surveillance, disruption, media manipulation, and psychological operations now target those who speak the language of self-determination. Scotland’s movement is treated not as a democratic project but as a national security risk.
The choice of a Nazi’s descendant to lead this agency cannot be dismissed as coincidence. It reflects an ongoing refusal to confront the violent inheritance of British power. The postwar state absorbed elements of fascism rather than reject them. Metreweli’s appointment fits within this long pattern. The timing reveals the fear. Clear message. The state will use every means available to preserve control.
Scotland’s response must be one of absolute clarity. The world must be told that this is not a matter of local governance. This is decolonization. The British state does not grant freedom. It prevents it. The naming of Metreweli is not about the future. It is about preserving the past; built on domination, silence, erasure.
Scotland has no obligation to wait for approval from those who rule over it. The appointment of The Butcher’s granddaughter to MI6 is a mirror showing what the Anglo-British state is willing to do, how far it is willing to go. Liberation is no longer an aspiration but an imperative. Scotland is an English colony. Decolonization is essential. Saor Alb
June 14, 2025: White Paper: Russian Connections to Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein – Prepared by: Stephen Pain & Zoosemiotics
Executive Summary This document outlines the known, alleged, and circumstantial connections between Russian individuals, organizations (including criminal and intelligence services), and the networks surrounding Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein. While definitive conclusions of illegal activity remain outside the scope of available public evidence, the documented proximity of both Trump and Epstein to Russian-linked entities merits serious analysis.
Section 1: Donald Trump and Russian Connections
1.1 Russian Business and Political Ties Felix Sater: Russian-American businessman, convicted felon, and longtime FBI informant. Partnered with Trump via Bayrock Group. Had links to Russian organized crime, including Semion Mogilevich.
Semion Mogilevich: Considered the “boss of bosses” of the Russian mafia. Has deep ties to FSB and GRU. Sater had business ties with individuals close to Mogilevich.
Aras and Emin Agalarov: Russian oligarchs who hosted the 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow. Helped facilitate the 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Kremlin-linked lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya.
Trump Tower Moscow: Proposed deal during 2015–2016 campaign, involving Russian officials and Sater. No deal finalized, but active communication occurred during the election period.
1.2 Intelligence and Surveillance Miss Universe 2013 was held at Moscow’s Ritz-Carlton, a site believed to be under FSB surveillance. Allegations (unverified) suggest possible kompromat was obtained.
Russian intelligence agencies (FSB/GRU) are known to deploy “honeytrap” and kompromat tactics through hospitality and luxury networks, such as beauty pageants and clubs.
Section 2: Jeffrey Epstein and Russian Connections
2.1 Recruitment and Exploitation Networks Jean-Luc Brunel: Ran MC2 Model Management. Recruited many girls from Eastern Europe and Russia. Worked closely with Epstein.
MC2 Model Management: Allegedly used to supply Epstein with underage girls, some of whom came from Russia and Eastern Europe.
2.2 Intelligence Interactions Dossier Center (2024 Report) revealed Epstein’s communications with Sergei Belyakov, a former Russian Deputy Minister with FSB Academy background.
Belyakov allegedly helped Epstein obtain visas and introduced him to networks associated with Russian elites and economic forums (e.g., SPIEF).
No confirmed record exists of Epstein physically entering Russia, but intent and facilitation networks were active.
Section 3: Shared Themes and Overlaps
3.1 Modeling Agencies as Vectors Trump Model Management: Brought in Eastern European models, many without proper work visas.
MC2 Model Management: Focused on similar demographics, often underaged, with known abuse by Epstein.
Both organizations operated in elite social spaces attractive to intelligence and criminal exploitation.
3.2 Use of Pageants and Events Miss Universe (Trump) and elite parties (Epstein) both served as environments where powerful men and vulnerable women were brought together — classic conditions for kompromat.
Overlapping presence of oligarchs, FSB-linked figures, and modeling talent increases plausibility of indirect asset recruitment or surveillance.
3.3 Russian Mafia Both Trump (via Sater and real estate) and Epstein (via social contacts like Brunel) existed in ecosystems where Russian organized crime — often intertwined with FSB — played a role in money laundering, trafficking, and elite access.
Section 4: Conclusion While no direct, proven collaboration between Epstein and Trump involving Russian intelligence has been uncovered, their shared use of modeling pipelines, proximity to Russian elites, and interest from intelligence services — especially the FSB — reveal an environment highly vulnerable to foreign influence and exploitation. The overlap in locations, methods (pageants, models, exclusive events), and persons of interest (Sater, Brunel, Agalarov) suggests a complex network where illicit and state interests may have intersected.
Further investigation — especially with access to Russian visa records, surveillance archives, and intelligence files — is necessary to fully assess the depth of these entanglements.
Part Two: White Paper: The Under reported and the Unknown Aspects of Trump and Epstein’s Relations with Young Women
Executive Summary This white paper investigates the lesser-known and under-reported aspects of Jeffrey Epstein’s and Donald Trump’s associations with young women, specifically focusing on the trafficking and exploitation of Russian and Eastern European girls.
While definitive legal conclusions are limited due to systemic opacity, the paper outlines financial trails, witness suppression, and immigration manipulation, drawing from lawsuits, investigative reporting, and government settlements.
Section 1: Recruitment and Exploitation of Russian & Eastern European Women
1.1 Jean-Luc Brunel and MC2 Model Management Operated as a primary recruitment channel for girls from Russia, Ukraine, Slovakia, and other post-Soviet states.
Brunel, Epstein’s close associate, allegedly trafficked “over a thousand girls” under the guise of modeling contracts. Recruited girls were often as young as 14–16 and sent to Epstein’s U.S. properties.
1.2 Modus Operandi Victims were brought in using tourist, student, or fraudulent marriage visas. Modeling contracts provided a false veneer of legitimacy. Some underage girls were married to U.S. citizens to secure longer stays—allegations made in lawsuits against Epstein’s estate.
Section 2: Financial Evidence
2.1 Deutsche Bank Settlement (2020) Deutsche Bank was fined $150 million after regulators discovered transactions from Epstein to “Russian models and women with Eastern European surnames.” Internal emails acknowledged the risk: staff noted the pattern but allowed transactions to continue.
2.2 Structured Payments and Hidden Transfers Payments were typically small and recurring—hallmarks of trafficking-related financial flows. These transactions took place between 2013–2017, aligning with allegations in civil suits.
Section 3: Absence of Testimony and Legal Barriers
3.1 Anonymity and Intimidation Most Eastern European victims were never publicly identified; many appeared as “Jane Does.” Threats, NDAs, and fear of deportation discouraged testimony. Women were often dependent on Epstein’s network for housing, money, or legal status.
3.2 Immigration Leverage Victims on temporary visas feared exposure if they cooperated with investigators. Some may have been incentivized—or coerced—to leave the U.S. quietly after Epstein’s first conviction in 2008.
3.3 Nadia Marcinko (a.k.a. Marcinková) Slovak national, Epstein’s pilot, and alleged participant in abuse. Invoked the Fifth Amendment during questioning; granted immunity in earlier plea deal. Reported missing in 2024, with no clear status update.
Section 4: Ties to Trump’s Modeling and Pageant Networks
4.1 Trump Model Management Recruited Eastern European models, some underage, working without proper visas. Allegations of exploitative labor and overcharging for rent, with models’ passports withheld.
4.2 Miss Universe Moscow 2013 Co-hosted by Kremlin-linked Agalarovs. Held at Ritz-Carlton Moscow—alleged to be monitored by FSB. Provided an ideal platform for both recruitment and kompromat tactics.
Section 5: Analysis & Implications Patterns of trafficking, financial secrecy, and strategic silence suggest systemic abuse. Russian and Eastern European girls were both high-risk and high-value within these networks. Lack of public testimony may stem from coercion, cultural stigma, or legal exposure.
Conclusion The fate of many Russian and Eastern European girls in Epstein’s and Trump’s shared orbit remains undocumented. Financial records, recruitment strategies, and immigration manipulation point to a coordinated system of exploitation. Yet the stories of most victims remain silenced by fear, bureaucracy, and untraceable departures. Without transparency, justice for these women remains elusive.
Shirley-Anne Somerville – Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice
responsible for:
Baby Box
benefit automation
human rights
minimum income guarantee
national mission for tackling child poverty
Office of Chief Social Policy Advisor
Scottish Government benefits (development and delivery)
Scottish Welfare Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs)
social justice, tackling poverty and inequalities
Social Security Scotland
third sector, social enterprises and Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR)
UN treaty incorporation including United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)
Kaukab Stewart – Minister for Equalities
Specific responsibilities are:
displaced peoples
diversity, inclusion and equalities; including disability, older people, women, gender, LGBTI, religion, race, and Gypsy Traveller community
Equally Safe strategy
faith and belief
New Scots strategy
population and migration (inc. Ministerial Taskforce on Population)
refugees and asylum seekers
social isolation and loneliness strategy
Rebecca Don Kennedy CEO – Equality Network
Equality Network: The Network is run by a Board of Trustees, who are all volunteers. They oversee the organisation, take strategic decisions, and are ultimately responsible for all our activities. The Network aims to create lasting improvement in the situation of LGBTIQ people in Scotland.
The day to day work of the organisation is delegated by the Board to our staff –There are currently 9 full-time staff and 6 part-time staff.
The Trustees
Dr Kevin Guyan (Convener)
Dr Kevin Guyan is a writer and researcher whose work explores the intersection of data and identity. He is the author of ‘Rainbow Trap: Queer Lives, Classifications and the Dangers of Inclusion’ (Bloomsbury Academic, 2025) and ‘Queer Data: Using Gender, Sex and Sexuality Data for Action’ (Bloomsbury Academic, 2022). Kevin is a Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Edinburgh and Director of the Gender + Sexuality Data Lab. Further information: kevinguyan.com
Judi Syson (Deputy Convener)
Judi has supported LGBT+ community organisations since joining the LGBT Health & Wellbeing board in 2004, and served as their chair for 5 years. With a background in STEM innovation and clinical research Judi brings leadership and people management experience to the Equality Network Board, along with a youth charity management perspective as a current trustee for the YMCA in Edinburgh & Scotland. Judi enjoys participating in LGBT community activities with women’s hill walking groups, the Loud & Proud Choir and watching rugby. linkedin.com/in/judisyson
Daniel Clayton (Treasurer)
Daniel qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2002. He is an Investment Management specialist and has held several senior roles within Audit and Risk, Investment Operations, Investment Change and Product Design and Strategy. He has worked for several leading companies including PwC, Aegon Asset Management, Citi, Standard Life Investments, First State and Abrdn. He has a keen interest in promoting LGBTIQ representation at senior levels within the financial services industry and has been an active part in both establishing, chairing and being part of LGBTIQ networks within the various companies he has worked for. Currently he is the Inclusion and Diversity Lead for the Investment Office at his current employer, Scottish Widows. Daniel is the Treasurer of the Equality Network and oversees the financial governance, controls and overall financial position of the charity.
Cecilia Righini: Cecilia Righini is the Founder and Creative Director of Studio Lutalica, a non-profit design agency supporting women and LGBTQ+ communities. With a focus on intersectional feminism and sustainable practices, Cecilia leads projects that empower diverse identities. Their work has been recognised with awards for its impact in the creative industry. Cecilia also serves on the board of Proud Futures and is a visiting practitioner at in Design Management at UAL: London College of Communication. linkedin.com/in/ceciliarighini
Christina Tatlow: Christina is currently on a short sabbatical from our Board.
Katherine O’Donnell: Katherine O’Donnell is a journalist and writer of more than 35 years’ experience in print, broadcasting and digital media. She has a longstanding interest in human rights and equality. She is a former night editor of The Times and the only trans person ever to have held a senior editorial role in the UK national press.
Peter Hope-Jones: Peter is a civil servant with twenty years’ experience in different roles in the Scottish Government. Currently working on higher education institutional stability, he previously led on taking the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill through the Scottish Parliament, and has also been Private Secretary to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Head of Human Trafficking Policy, and Interim Chief Executive of Parole Scotland.
Stella Sibbit-Johnston: Stella works in international education, with experience living and working in New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and Scotland. She brings a global perspective to the Board, and as a migrant and a parent is passionate about intersectionality within the LGBTIQ community. Having recently completed the Radius Employee Network Leadership Programme, she leads the EDI Committee in her workplace.
Tristan Grayford: Tristan Grayford is a software engineer and author who moved to Scotland from Jersey in 2014 and joined Equality Network’s board in 2024. He is the co-founder of the End Conversion Therapy Scotland Campaign and QUILL Scotland. He has previously worked at the Scottish Parliament and written policy for multiple political parties. In his career he has chaired LGBTQ+ employee networks and spoken on panels from the risks of Generative AI to inclusive practice in tech and genre fiction.
Staff:
Chief Executive Officer: Dr Rebecca Don Kennedy (she/her)
Finance and Business Coordinator: Claudia Russo (she/her)
Communications Officer: Chris Timmins (he/him)
Branding and Publications Officer: Nathan Skye (he/they)
Training Officer: James H. Verardi (he/him)
Community Engagement and Development Officer:Ruth McGill (she/her):
Disability and Neurodiversity Officers: Mel Maguire (she/her) Rowan Alison (they/them)
Policy Coordinator: Erin Lux (she/her)
Policy and Campaigns Officer: Christopher Clannachan (he/him)
Policy Officer: Eleanor Sanders White (she/her)
Scottish Trans: Strives to be inclusive and open, to challenge discrimination and to consult, involve and inform the individuals and the communities for which we work.
Partnership is a key part of our approach, and much of what we do involves working in partnership with diverse LGBTI people, other trans and LGBTI organisations, and with organisations working in the wider equality and human rights field.
There are currently three full-time Scottish Trans staff within the Equality Network:
Scottish Trans Manager: Vic Valentine (they/them)
Scottish Trans Policy & Public Affairs Officer: Florence Oulds (she/her)
Scottish Trans Community Engagement Coordinator: Oceana Maund (They/Them)
Scottish Trans is also currently hosting a fourth full time member of staff, as part of the Scottish Government’s NHS Gender Identity Services Strategic Action Framework 2021-2024:
Lived Experience Officer: Ryan Butter (he/they)
Government Finance: 2024 Scottish Government grants : £576,316 of which £450,000 was spent on staff costs.
LEAP Sports Scotland: Scotland’s LGBTIQ+ sports charity campaigning for equality, visibility and greater participation for LGBTIQ+ people in all areas of sport.
2024 Scottish & Local Government grants : £126,000: Total funding all organisations £550,000 of which approx £320,000 was spent on staff costs.
LGBT Youth Scotland: Scotland’s national charity for LGBTQ+ young people, aged 13-25. Supports young people in all aspects of their lives through the provision of youth work, supporting them to use their voice to create change in equality and human rights.
2024 Scottish Government grants: £1,871,046 of which £1,500,000 was spent on staff costs (17 Operational 32 Project work)
Stonewall
Stonewall Equality Ltd: Over the past 35 years, Stonewall has primarily focused its activity in two key domains – influencing legislation and policy, and creating change through research, programming and leadership development.
Stonewall has played a very significant and important role in changing the law to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people. This includes:
The repeal of Section 28: We were founded in direct response to Section 28, the homophobic legislation that prevented young people learning about homosexuality in schools.
Equalising the age of consent: The Sexual Offences Amendment Act (2001) lowered the age of consent for gay and bi men to 16, aligning the age of consent with heterosexuals.
Lifting the ban on military service: Until 2000, LGBTQ+ people were banned from the British military, often dismissed or stripped of medals. Stonewall campaigned to end this discrimination, leading to the ban’s repeal in 2000.
The right for LGBTQ+ couples to adopt: The Adoption and Children Act came into effect in 2002 and allowed unmarried couples, including LGBTQ+ couples, to apply for joint adoption.
Marriage equality: The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act made history by legalising same-sex marriage in Scotland 2014,
2024 Scottish Government grant: Around £110,000 of which £3000 was SG membership fees. Note Company folded but S.G. maintained the funding support.
LGBT Healthy Living Centre: LGBT Health and Wellbeing was set up in 2003 to improve the health, wellbeing, and equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) people in Scotland. It provides responsive support services, a social programme for the community to connect with each other in sober and safer spaces, and supports mainstream services to become more inclusive.
Trustees
Yorath Turner: Chair (he/him)
Yorath is currently Head of Digital Capability and Talent in Scottish Government and leads the Digital profession development as well as initiatives responsible for building digital skills, capability and diversity across the public sector in Scotland. After 10 years in the finance sector, he joined the UK Civil Service in 2015 and has worked in a number of central government departments in Whitehall and beyond. He has experience in a range of HR roles from business partnering, strategic workforce development, and organisation design and development. He is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD.
Jon Dye: Vice Chair:
Jon graduated from St Andrews with a degree in Mathematics and went on to train as an accountant with the international accountancy firm PwC. After 10 years with PwC, Jon joined the Clydesdale Bank. Since then, Jon has held a number of senior Finance roles in the commercial and third sector. Jon has also been a Trustee and Officer of a number of local and national charities. Jon sits on the Audit, Finance and Funding sub committee of the Board.
Daniel Clayton: Treasurer (he/him)
Daniel qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2002 with PwC where he worked for 6 years as an auditor. He has held a number of senior positions in financial service companies, specialising in investment management operations. Daniel has a keen interest in and experience of: operations, audit (internal and external), risk, finance, project management, financial controls and strategy. He has taken an active part in equality groups at the companies he has worked for, in particular the push to gain fair LGBT+ representation in senior roles at financial service companies.
Zyra Evangelista: (they/them)
Zy is a PhD researcher at the University of Glasgow. Their primary area of research is LGBT+ psychology, with a specific focus on LGBT+ inclusion and well-being. They are currently one of the University of Glasgow Future World Changers, the PsyPAG representative for the British Psychological Society Psychology of Sexualities Section, and Book Review Editor for the Psychology of Sexualities Review. Outside of academia, Zy has been selected as one of the See Me Proud LGBT Community Champions and has co-founded the LGBTQI+ basketball group, the Rainbow Glasgaroos. Zy is bringing in their experience in psychology to help address issues related to anti-LGBT+ prejudice, stigma, and discrimination. Zy’s work in improving LGBT+ inclusion in higher education can contribute to developing policies and programmes that promote diversity, inclusion, and well-being across the LGBT+ community.
Robin Gay: (he/they)
Robin is currently the Student Voice Manager at Edinburgh University Students’ Association, where they oversee the Association’s democratic processes and support for over 1500 student representatives. They have previously worked directly with marginalised student communities, including Black and Minority Ethnic, disabled, and LGBT+ students, and empowered elected student representatives to campaign on a range of issues affecting these groups. They bring a range of experience to the Board including membership engagement, community development, and effective governance.
Nick Ward: (he/him)
Nick graduated from Edinburgh University before moving to London and becoming a secondary school teacher in some of the most challenging schools in the UK. He completed a Masters in Leadership at UCL and entered the charity sector, becoming the regional director for a large teacher training charity. He was also an elected councillor for the borough of Islington. After nearly 10 years in London he returned to Edinburgh and is now the Director of the National Autistic Society Scotland. He is a keen history geek and runner and is a member of the LGBT+ running club Frontrunners.
LGBT Health and Wellbeing is comprised 0f 26 full time staff.
The strategic aim is to attract and retain the best possible team of staff. We do this by ‘offering clear pathways to volunteering, employment, and development within the organisation ensuring the team feels supported, valued and listened to.
We recognise that being an LGBT+ person, or an active ally, whilst serving our community can cause particular and nuanced challenges for colleagues. Exposure to continuous microaggressions and political or media negativity that might otherwise be avoided, and an impact on our social relationships or use of queer spaces can risk having a detrimental impact on the health and wellbeing of colleagues.
Above our competitive Terms and Conditions of employment, colleagues are offered monthly support and supervision meetings, externally facilitated peer supervision, access to an Employee Assistance Programme, access to Learning and Development opportunities, and a Staff Wellbeing programme.
We aim to nurture a culture where colleagues feel empowered to provide direct and continuous feedback to their managers and our People Support Coordinator about their experience as an employee, and for them to ask for what they need. We also conduct an anonymous annual staff survey in order to proactively check-in with our team.
The organisation continues to secure new contracts with a range of partners, along with the extension of previously-awarded contracts.
NHS Lothian (£205,500)
Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership (£136,045).
The Scottish Government (£68,400) continue to fund specific projects and services within the organisation.
Edinburgh Integration Joint Board provides some core funding (£101,456).
2024 Scottish Government grants: £895,000 of which £870,000 was spent on staff costs.
2024: Total Government grants to LGBTIQ+ Equality support organisations: £3,578,000. Staff costs around 60%
Equality Network Ltd: The aim of the Equality Network project is to create lasting improvement in the situation of LGBTIQ people in Scotland. Director, Peter Hope-Jones, (also employed by the Scottish Government).
2024 Scottish Government grants : £576,316 of which approx £450,000 was spent on staff costs, (14-16).
LEAP Sports Scotland: Scotland’s LGBTIQ+ sports charity campaigning for equality, visibility and greater participation for LGBTIQ+ people in all areas of sport.
2024 Scottish & Local Government grants : £126,000: Total funding all organisations £550,000 of which approx £320,000 was spent on staff costs.
LGBT Youth Scotland: Scotland’s national charity for LGBTQ+ young people, aged 13-25. Supports young people in all aspects of their lives through the provision of youth work, supporting them to use their voice to create change in equality and human rights.
2024 Scottish Government grants: £1,871,046 of which £1,500,000 was spent on staff costs (17 Operational 32 Project work)
Stonewall Equality Ltd: Over the past 35 years, Stonewall has primarily focused its activity in two key domains – influencing legislation and policy, and creating change through research, programming and leadership development.
Stonewall has played a very significant and important role in changing the law to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people. This includes:
The repeal of Section 28: We were founded in direct response to Section 28, the homophobic legislation that prevented young people learning about homosexuality in schools.
Equalising the age of consent: The Sexual Offences Amendment Act (2001) lowered the age of consent for gay and bi men to 16, aligning the age of consent with heterosexuals.
Lifting the ban on military service: Until 2000, LGBTQ+ people were banned from the British military, often dismissed or stripped of medals. Stonewall campaigned to end this discrimination, leading to the ban’s repeal in 2000.
The right for LGBTQ+ couples to adopt: The Adoption and Children Act came into effect in 2002 and allowed unmarried couples, including LGBTQ+ couples, to apply for joint adoption.
Marriage equality: The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act made history by legalising same-sex marriage in Scotland 2014,
2024 Scottish Government grant: Around £110,000 of which £3000 was SG membership fees. Note Company folded but S.G. maintained the funding support.
LGBT Healthy Living Centre: LGBT Health and Wellbeing was set up in 2003 to improve the health, wellbeing, and equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) people in Scotland. It provides responsive support services, a social programme for the community to connect with each other in sober and safer spaces, and supports mainstream services to become more inclusive.
2024 Scottish Government grants: £895,000 of which £870,000 was spent on staff costs.
2024: Total Government grants to LGBTIQ+ Equality support organisations: £3,578,000. Staff costs around 60%
Inspiring Scotland Fund: The £28 million funds key themes and challenges of the undernoted E&HR funded organisations.
Autism 2023/2024 Autism ATLAS Ltd. £6,276 Autism Understanding Scotland £28,344 Central Advocacy Partners £9,249 HOPE for Autism £8,425 Inspired Community Enterprise Trust Ltd £26,443 Into Work £28,349 IWORK4ME £5,528 Perth Autism Support SCIO £14,174 SWAN Autism Scotland £13,104 Autism Initiatives £36,363 Cosgrove Care £14,351 Home-Start Caithness £14,590 Home-Start East Highland Ltd. £14,604 HOPE for Autism £7,518 Networking Key Service Limited £12,280 Perth Autism Support SCIO £13,537 Salvesen Mindroom Centre £10,115 SensationALL £10,325 SWAN Autism Scotland £28,482 The Autism Network £9,070 The National Autistic Society £30,116 Aberdeen Foyer £26,381 Callander Youth Project Trust £21,480 FARE Scotland £30,000 Grassmarket Community Project £25,193 Inspired Community Trust Ltd £23,941 Move On £22,658 Ando Glaso £26,052 Common Wheel £15,815 Glasgow Disability Alliance £26,666 Govanhill Baths Community Trust £17,602 Impact Arts (Projects) Ltd £11,101 LGBT Youth Scotland £23,429 Refuweegee £15,258 The Sound Lab £19,991 The Village Storytelling Centre £26,644 Toonspeak Young People’s Theatre £24,839 Delivering Equally Safe £50,341 Aberdeen Cyrenians Ltd £36,578 Aberlour Child Care Trust £49,759 Action for Children £24,764.42 £24,764.42 £24,764 Muslim Women’s Resource Centre £20,589 Angus Women’s Aid £52,386. Argyll & Bute Rape Crisis £46,195 Argyll & Bute Violence against Women and Girls £8,606 Argyll & Bute Women’s Aid SCIO £82,521 ASSIST, Glasgow City Council £69,047 Barnardo’s £44,000 Border Women’s Aid Ltd £8,368 British Red Cross Society £13,461 Caithness & Sutherland Women’s Aid £36,134 CEA Committed To Ending Abuse £18,978 Central Advocacy Partners £36,625 Children 1st £55,700 Clackmannanshire Women’s Aid £28,073 Close the Gap (SCIO) £40,261 Cumbernauld & District Women’s Aid SCIO £26,250 Deaf Links £30,633 Dumbarton District Women’s Aid £29,900 Dumfries & Galloway Council £16,006 Dumfries & Galloway Rape Crisis Support Centre £48,282 Dumfriesshire & Stewartry Women’s Aid £22,076 Dundee City Council £33,552 Dundee International Women’s Centre £6,044 Dundee Women’s Aid £54,982 East Ayrshire Health & Social Care Partnership £12,865 East Ayrshire Women’s Aid £27,924 East Dunbartonshire Assn For Mental Health 24,375.00 East Dunbartonshire Women’s Aid SCIO £22,678 East & Midlothian Public Protection Committee £28,784 Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre £101,474 Edinburgh Women’s Aid Ltd £52,164 EmilyTest £15,614 Engender £25,884 FENIKS Counselling, & Support Service Ltd £31,794 Fife Council £33,941 Fife Rape and Sexual Assault Centre £46,069 Fife Women’s Aid £38,500 Forth Valley Rape Crisis Centre £63,756 GEMAP Scotland Ltd £60,043 Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis £121,894 Glasgow East Women’s Aid Ltd £38,454 Glasgow Women’s Aid £107,078 Grampian Women’s Aid £48,506 Hemat Gryffe Women’s Aid Limited £57,12 INVERCLYDE WOMEN’S AID SCIO £48,750 JustRight Scotland SCIO £9,267 Kenyan Women in Scotland Association (CIC) £7,683 Kibble Education and Care Centre £14,020 Kingdom Abuse Survivors Project £10,424 Lanarkshire Rape Crisis Centre £62,380 LGBT Youth Scotland £12,372 Liber8 (Lanarkshire) Ltd £114,905 Lochaber Women’s Aid £47,358 Monklands Women’s Aid £56,078 Moray Rape Crisis £59,978 Moray Women’s Aid £41,324 Motherwell & District Womens Aid £53,449 Multi-Cultural Family Base £23,386 North Ayrshire Womens Aid £21,869 North Lanarkshire Council £35,505 Orkney Rape Assault Service (ORSAS) £28,432 Perth & Kinross Council £10,606 Perthshire Women’s Aid £60,500 Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre, Perth & Kinross £58,229 Rape and Sexual Abuse Service Highland £62,965 Rape Crisis Grampian £44,805 Rape Crisis Scotland £234,000 Renfrewshire Council £30,000 Renfrewshire Council, Children, Women Children £40,008 Renfrewshire Women’s Aid SCIO £24,191 Respect £8,839 Ross-Shire Women’s Aid £58,947 Rowan Alba Ltd £16,976 Sacro £34,549 SafeLives £20,123 Saheliya £37,688 Sandyford– NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde £4,391 SAY Women £13,002 Scottish Borders Council £11,175 Scottish Borders Rape Crisis Centre (SBRCC) £42,327 Scottish Commission for Learning Disability £24,502 Scottish Women’s Aid £135,000 Shakti Women’s Aid £75,000 Shetland Rape Crisis £43,274 Shetland Women’s Aid (SCIO) £47,820 South Ayrshire Women’s Aid £41,496 South Lanarkshire Council £9,456 South West Grid for Learning Trust Ltd £14,533 Stirling & District Women’s Aid £43,461 The Highland Council £46,550 The Improvement Service £48,467 The Star Centre £32,632 University of Glasgow Court £16,171.88 Venture Trust £17,273.88 West Dunbartonshire Council £23,439.88 Western Isles Rape Crisis Centre £21,007.94 Western Isles Women’s Aid SCIO £13,000.00 West Lothian Council £45,184.94 West Lothian Women’s Aid (WLWA) £18,707.63 White Ribbon Scotland £18,750.00 Wigtownshire Women’s Aid £22,500.00 Women’s Aid East and Midlothian Ltd £113,084.25 Women’s Aid Orkney £63,466.41 Women’s Aid South Lanark & East Renfrew £100,000.00 Women’s Rape & Sexual Abuse undee and Angus £96,879.88 Women’s Support Project £52,656.00 Young Women’s Movement £6,754.46 Zero Tolerance £75,621.75 EMDR – Supervision Survivors Unite £600.00 EMDR – Travel Grant Survivors Unite £365.00 Equality & Human Rights – 028 Age Scotland £101,685.88 Amina – the Muslim Women’s Resource Centre £51,754.75 BEMIS Scotland £53,750.00 Boots and Beards £18,915.13 British Deaf Association £57,545.63 Central Scotland Regional Equality Council £18,769.25 Civil Rights First £17,640.00 Close the Gap (SCIO) £56,634.88 Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights £36,119.88 Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations £49,775.00 Deafblind Scotland £18,744.75 Disability Equality Scotland £41,205.25 Disability Information Scotland £41,934.38 Equate Scotland £90,935.75 Elect Her £25,011.88 Engender £89,951.63 Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland (ERCS) £13,203.25 Equality Network Limited £125,816.25 Ethnic Minorities Law Centre £47,678.38 FENIKS Counselling, Development Service Ltd £20,370.50 Friends of Romano Lav £18,399.38 Generations Working Together £51,732.69 Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector £61,486.25 Glasgow Disability Alliance £83,334.38 Glasgow Women’s Library Ltd £31,264.00 Grampian Regional Equality Council Ltd. £7,111.25 Inclusion Scotland £206,250.00 Intercultural Youth Scotland (IYS) £54,023.93 JustRight Scotland SCIO £24,360.50 Kairos Women+ £11,611.13 (LEAP) in Sports Scotland £17,850.63 Legal Services Agency Ltd. £34,289.13 LGBT Healthy Living Centre £47,483.00 LGBT Youth Scotland £72,717.63 Minority Ethnic Carers of People Project £38,102.25 Multi-Cultural Family Base £11,429.25 Neighbourhood Networks £23,489.13 Outside the Box Development Support £14,756.75 Scottish Ethnic Minority Deaf Charity £19,663.75 Scottish TUC (Scottish Pensioners’ Forum) £12,228.25 Scottish Women’s Budget Group £18,595.75 Scottish Women’s Convention £49,166.75 STEP £42,784.38 Stonewall Equality Limited £26,626.25 The Poverty Alliance £33,497.13 The Scottish Older People’s Assembly £12,275.00 West of Scotland Regional Equality Council £36,915.13 Young Women’s Movement £36,163.00 Aberlour Child Care Trust £12,186.00 Action for Children £9,157.00 Barnardo’s £8,5941.00 Befriend a Child £8,459.00 COVEY £9,411.00 Kirkcaldy YMCA £9,366.00 Move On £8,325.00 Quarriers £9,962.00 Right There £9,697.00 Volunteer Glasgow £6,424.00 YMCA Edinburgh £10,735.00 Y Sort It £5,340.00 Crowdfunder 2023 Aberlour Child Care Trust £980.00 Action for Children £1,541.00 Barnardo’s £1,401.00 Befriend a Child £1,401.00 COVEY £840.00 Kirkcaldy YMCA £1,401.00 Move On £840.00 Quarriers £840.00 Right There £3,221.00 Volunteer Glasgow £980.00 YMCA Edinburgh SCIO £3,222.00 Y Sort It £840.00 2025 Action for Children £10,012.00 Barnardo’s £5538.00 Befriend a Child £10,088.00 Right There £15,951.00 YMCA Edinburgh £13,966.00 Y Sort It £1,624.00 Values Into Action Scotland £75,000.00 Learning Disabilities get2gether £13,500.00 Inspired Community Enterprise Trust Ltd £25,000.00 musicALL £22,500.00 People First (Scotland) £85,348.00 Promoting a More Inclusive Society £112,500.00 Values Into Action Scotland (VIAS) £64,800.00 Link Up Kirkcaldy YMCA £46,667.00 North Edinburgh Arts £11,872.00 The Ayrshire Community Trust £41,395.00 Aberdeen Foyer £25,964.00 Action for Children £130,351 Calman Trust £9,625 East Ayrshire Carers Centre £13,375 ENABLE Scotland £59,784 FARE Scotland £82,344 Hot Chocolate Trust £7,780 Move On £31,324 RUTS £52,750 Street League £144,318 Tullochan £23,324 yipworld £13,000 Enterprise Queen Margaret University £7,000 Human Development Scotland £4,015 3D Drumchapel £4,000 Aberlour Child Care Trust £20,000 Home-Start East Highland Ltd. £15,000 Home-Start East Lothian £4,000 Home-Start Glasgow North & North Lanarkshire £19,956 Home-Start Glasgow South £4,000 Home-Start Levenmouth £3,633 Home-Start Renfrewshire and Inverclyde £3,679 Let’s All Talk North East Mums £3,997 Mellow Parenting £3,803 Midlothian Sure Start £19,976 Mind Mosaic Counselling & Therapy £4,000 Multi-Cultural Family Base £4,000 Nurture the Borders £3,873 PMH Borders £11,250 Pregnancy Counselling and Care (Scotland) £4,00 Quarriers £19,874 Starcatchers Productions Ltd £3,333 Stepping Stones North Edinburgh £13,314 With Kids £3,960 Advocacy Orkney £7,565 Advocacy Aberdeen £16,454 Advocacy Western Isles £24,902 Ayrshire Independent Living Network £22,296 Borders Direct Payment Agency £14,780 Braemar Care £3,250 Capability Scotland £25,430 Carr Gomm £68,006 Circles Network £28,522 Clyde Shopmobility £5,547 Cornerstone Community Care £17,890 Disabled Person’s Housing Service Fife £17,309 East Ayrshire Carers Centre £18,495 ENABLE Scotland £24,964 Equal Say Limited £20,080 Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living £58,697 Improving Lives £15,291 Independent Living Association Forth Valley £12,833 Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living £39,751 Minority Ethnic Carers of People Project £18,504 Perth & Kinross Association of Voluntary Service £10,678 Self -Directed Suppor, East Renfrewshire £34,041 Shetland Community Connections SCIO £26,075 Support Choices £18,305 The Advisory Group £16,548 The Advocacy Project £21,313 The Community Brokerage Network £43,268 Thistle Foundation £27,277. VOCAL – Voice of Carers Across Lothian £26,411. Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire £26,487 Award 2023 Ayrshire Independent Living Network £3,563 Capability Scotland £1,781 Circles Network £3,563 Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living £3,563 Self-Directed Support Forum East Renfrewshire £1,781 STAND £1,781 Support Choices £1,781 The Community Brokerage Network CIC £403 Voice of Carers Across Lothian £1,781 Survivors 2023/2024 The Body Mind Studio £3,754 3D Drumchapel £5,820 Belville Community Garden Trust £6,211 Bridgend Farmhouse £7,770 Canongate Youth £4,726 Children 1st £7,791 Concrete Garden £6,801 Earthtime for All Ltd £2,541 East Lothian Play Association SCIO £7,785 Family and Community Development West Lothian £4,522 Getting Better Together Ltd £5,176 Include Us £7,737 Jeely Piece Club £7,744 Kingsway Community Connections £9,591 Kirkcaldy YMCA £7,700 MADE4U IN ML2 £7,770 North Edinburgh Arts £7,252 OutLET Play Resource £6,847 Parent Action for Safe Play £7,643 PEEK- Possibilities For Each and Every Kid £7,791 Play Scotland £7,545 Project 31 £7,633 Renfrew YMCA £7,684 Royston Youth Action £7,772 Smart Play Network £7,187 The Ecology Centre £4,855 The Urban Roots Initiative £7,576 The Venchie Children and Young People’s Project £7,712 Under The Trees £6,381 YMCA Edinburgh £6,805 East Lothian Play Association £8,137 Include Me 2 Club £9,450 Scotland Yard Adventure Centre £9,450 Under The Trees £9,450 Thrive Outdoors Active Play £7,500 FARE Scotland £15,000 Jeely Piece Club £15,000 Possibilities For Each and Every Kid £15,000 FARE Scotland £1,850 Jeely Piece Club £1,850 Possibilities For Each and Every Kid £1,850 Care and Learning Alliance £36,157 FARE Scotland £12,875 Jeely Piece Club £12,875 Possibilities For Each and Every Kid £12,875 Scottish Sports Futures £12,000 Care Antonine Care Ltd £10,000 Beyond Limits Dumfries & Galloway £1,000 Bhart Ltd Trading £1,000 Carers Scotland Ltd £2,126 Clacks & Stirling (Stirling Adult Social Care Team) £5,000 Clece Care Services £5,000 Drylaw Rainbow Club Day Centre £786 East Dunbartonshire Assoc For Mental Health £2,100 ENABLE Scotland £9,950 Falkirk Council (Burnbrae Home) £4,200 Greencross Care Home £5,000 Hillview Care Home £6,980 Lancefield Care Home £5,200 Marchglen Care Centre £5,000 Norwood Care Home £2,000 Park Homes Carlingwark House Care Home £1,850 Parklands Limited (Burnbank Care Home) £2,500 Parklands Limited (Parklands Care Home) £5,000 Perth & Kinross Council (LD and Autism social work £560 Quality Care Scotland Ltd £3,600 Shetland Islands Council Outreach, £1,600 Shetland Islands Council Outreach, flexi workers £700 Shetland Islands Council,Outreach, St Sunniva £1,600 Summerdale Care Home £2,700 Turning Point Scotland (Ayr) £3,500 Turning Point Scotland (Dundee) £6,550 Turning Point Scotland (Prestwick) £3,300 Turning Point Scotland (Renfrewshire) £8,868 Aberdeen Foyer £25,000 Action for Children £62,500 ENABLE Scotland £46,250 FARE Scotland £40,000 Street League £59,829 The Talk About Trust £12,088
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