Man appointed MBE for services to LGBTQ+ community

A man who has been appointed an MBE for services to the LGBTQ+ community described the award as a "huge honour".

Matt Daniels, 50, was named among the recipients on the New Year Honours list, having volunteered for causes since his early 20s.

He was recognised for his work with groups including Birmingham LGBT, for which he served as a board member for five years, helping to create its health and wellbeing centre.

Mr Daniels, from Birmingham, said: "It's a huge honour and I recognise I'm one of many, many people who have been doing this kind of work for many years."

He said: "It is really lovely, it's a brilliant achievement and I'm looking forward to being able to celebrate it with people as well."

In 2008, Mr Daniels worked on a heritage project which archived and recorded LGBTQ+ history in Birmingham.

He then became a board member of Birmingham LGBT in 2010 and remained one until he stepped down in 2015, although he has continued to work with the organisation.

He also helped to set up The Alliance Network – a group which brings together LGBTQ+ professionals and staff across the Midlands.

Most recently, Mr Daniels has been a member of Warwickshire County Cricket Club's inclusion advisory board, supporting the club in becoming more inclusive.

He described the work he and others did as "vital" and, while progress had been made in terms of equality for the LGBTQ+ community, he said there was still "a long way to go".

He referred to what he described as the "very regressive" attitudes towards transgender people in recent years, as well as the continuing mental health struggles faced by the LGBTQ+ community.

Mr Daniels also said one in five people who were LGBTQ+ would experience homelessness at some point in their lives.

He added: "It's very easy for people to think that, with the LGBTQ+ community, there is integration.

"There's equality in marriage and various other things so it's easy for people to think it's less of a priority."

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