Pride Month: Why representation still matters

Zoey Thomas, Operations Manager and Chair of the Rainbow Network, reflects on Pride, allyship and why creating a workplace where everyone feels they belong matters all year round.

I've been part of Anchor's Rainbow Network for almost as long as I've worked here, coming up on 12 years now. And in that time, I've seen it grow into something that shapes not just how we work, but how colleagues and residents experience life at Anchor every day.

What the Rainbow Network does

My day job is as an Operational Manager, but the Rainbow Network has always felt like an equally important part of what I do here. When I first joined Anchor and discovered the colleague networks, it immediately felt like somewhere I belonged, where I could channel something I care about deeply: making sure that everyone has a voice. 

At its core, the network is about representation. It's about having a seat at the table, being in the room when policies are being shaped, when decisions are being made, and making sure that the experiences of our LGBTQIA+ colleagues and residents are part of that conversation.

That might look like reviewing guidance documents for managers, or the dedicated support we published for trans and non-binary colleagues. Or it might simply look like a colleague knowing there's somewhere they can turn if they want to talk or if they're facing a difficult situation and don't feel able to raise it elsewhere.

That last point is what makes our network a little different. Not everyone in the Rainbow Network is out - to their colleagues, their families, or both. That means we carry an extra responsibility to be a trusted, safe space for people who can't always speak up for themselves.

What Pride means to me at Anchor 

Pride has always been about representation and community for me. Going to parades and events with my wife and our child and seeing other families like ours, feeling safe and celebrated. 

But Pride feels particularly important this year. The world outside can feel noisy and, at times, hostile; and when that happens, what organisations like Anchor choose to do matters enormously.

What I'm genuinely proud of is that Anchor lives these values and backs them publicly and consistently. That continuity means a great deal. It sets a tone that runs through everything, from the communications that go out to colleagues when difficult things happen in the world, to the fact that our senior leaders sit alongside network chairs in conversations about diversity and inclusion. 

And importantly, this isn't only about colleagues. We have LGBTQIA+ residents living within our communities, and LGBTQIA+ colleagues working alongside them every day. Everyone, whether they live with us or work for us, deserves to feel safe and supported.

This month, we're also hosting a virtual coffee morning for residents focused on allyship -what it means and how to practise it - with colleagues from the Rainbow Network and our Inclusive Ambassadors network joining as guest panellists.

Looking ahead

If there's one thing I'd want anyone reading this to take away this Pride Month, it's that allyship is something all of us can practise, whatever network we belong to or don't belong to. This year, we've been working on resources to help managers open up these conversations with their teams - topics, videos, practical guidance - because spreading that understanding and awareness wider is how real change happens.

People are more aware, more willing to learn, more open to conversation than ever before. Our job is to keep that going and to make sure that at Anchor, nobody ever has to wonder whether they belong. We're here not just for the month, but for every day of the year.

Anchor's colleague networks are colleague-led and aim to offer advice to the organisation and support to colleagues. Find out more about our colleague networks and our culture and values here.

Zoey Thomas is an Operations Manager at Anchor and Chair of the Rainbow Network.