Gay Professional Network

Wednesday, 29 July 2026

Pictures from our event yesterday, courtesy of Beatrice Colbrant

Thank You for Joining Us – Inspiring Conversations, Mental Health & Upcoming GPN Events (28-07-2026)

Dear Members and Guests,

Thank you for joining us on Tuesday evening. It was a real pleasure to see familiar faces and welcome new members and guests to the Gay Professional Network. Your presence, support and participation are what make these events so valuable and enjoyable.

If we didn't get a chance to speak on the night, I hope we will connect soon. As I often say, we are all connected by just three degrees — someone you know knows someone who can open a door, provide insight, create an opportunity or simply offer support when it is needed most.

Inspiring Speaker: Roman Pavlenko

A special thank you to our speaker, Roman Pavlenko, whose presentation was both inspiring and thought-provoking.

Roman shared his vision for Human Bridge CIC, due to launch in August, a project dedicated to helping tackle one of the most significant challenges facing modern society: loneliness and social isolation.

His presentation raised many interesting questions and generated an engaging discussion about the importance of human connection, community support and mental wellbeing. It was clear from the audience response that the subject resonated deeply with many people in the room.

We wish Roman every success with the launch of Human Bridge CIC and look forward to following its progress.

Mental Health Matters

The themes of connection and wellbeing naturally led us into discussions around mental health. Between us, we had three qualified Mental Health First Aiders in the room, alongside a number of healthcare professionals, including a clinical psychiatrist, which made for a particularly insightful and informed discussion.

Among our members is Dr George Petitjean, a clinical psychiatrist and founder of the Workplace Addiction & Recovery Movement (WARM), an important initiative focused on building knowledge and breaking the stigma surrounding addiction in the workplace.

👉 https://warmatwork.org/

The Workplace Addiction & Recovery Movement

Building knowledge. Breaking the stigma.

Mental health and addiction affect people across all professions and sectors. Creating environments where these topics can be discussed openly and without judgement is essential if we are to build healthier and more supportive workplaces.

Mental health affects every one of us, either directly or through someone we know. The conversation reminded us how important it is to listen, support one another and create environments where people feel safe speaking openly.

I would strongly recommend the Mental Health First Aid England training programme to anyone. It is an excellent course that helps broaden understanding, increase empathy and provide practical skills for supporting others:

👉 https://mhfaengland.org/

The training can genuinely change how we see and respond to the challenges faced by friends, family members, colleagues and our wider community.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to these conversations and helped make the evening such a welcoming and supportive event.

Help Shape Future Events

I would love to hear your thoughts on Tuesday's event and our future programme.

Please take a moment to complete our short feedback form:

👉 https://form.jotform.com/241052103692345

Your feedback helps us continue improving and delivering talks and networking opportunities that are relevant, engaging and valuable to our members and guests.

Upcoming Events

🌈

Tuesday 22 September 2026

Rosie Turner & Lucy Davidson

Join the Gay Professional Network at the Civil Service Club, London, for an evening of networking and conversation with the creators of the groundbreaking LGBTQ+ documentary:

No Man's Land

Meet fellow professionals, expand your network and hear first-hand about the making of this important documentary.

🎟️ Early Bird Tickets: £10

👉 https://link.outsavvy.com/rosieandlucy

#LGBTQ #Networking #LondonEvents #BusinessNetworking #DocumentaryFilm #WomenInMedia #GPN

🌈Tuesday 27 October 2026

Matt Ford and Kate Green

Kate Green served during the LGBT military ban and has recently been recognised as Veteran of the Year, alongside many others whose service and contributions are now receiving long-overdue recognition.

The discussion will explore service, resilience, equality and the progress still to be made.

We may also have the opportunity to host this event at the Royal British Legion Headquarters in Borough, which would provide a particularly fitting setting for this important conversation.

🌈 Tuesday 24 November 2026

Saba Ali or Galop

Unfortunately, our previously scheduled speaker John Harte is currently unwell in Australia and is unable to travel to London. We wish him a speedy recovery and hope to welcome him back to GPN in 2027.

We are currently exploring an alternative presentation from Saba Ali on the subject of conversion therapy and LGBTQ+ wellbeing, or potentially a representative from Galop, the UK's LGBT+ anti-abuse charity.

Further details will be announced shortly.

🌈 Tuesday 25 January 2027

Martin Bartsch

"From Visibility to Revenue: How Affiliate and Partner Marketing Can Help LGBTQ+ Brands Grow Authentically"

A practical session looking at how businesses and organisations can grow while remaining authentic and true to their communities.

🌈 Tuesday 23 February 2027

Natalie Ekberg

Playwright and producer Natalie Ekberg will discuss her work, including the acclaimed production Him, and share insights into creating and producing LGBTQ+ theatre.

Member Highlight

If you are a member and have not yet been featured, I would love to showcase your work.

Please send:

A high-resolution photograph
Your LinkedIn and social media links
A short biography (up to 200 words)

Member profiles are promoted across our social media channels, reaching an audience of more than 722,000 people, excluding reposts and referrals.

Example: 👉 https://gaypronet.blogspot.com/2021/03/monthly-highlight-of-our-members-david.html

For non-members, this promotional service is available for £500.

A Final Thought

A recurring theme from Tuesday's discussion was that meaningful connections matter.

Whether through Roman's Human Bridge project, our conversations around mental health, or the networking that takes place at every GPN event, we are reminded that strong communities are built through people supporting one another.

Please remember that you are never alone. The Gay Professional Network exists to connect, inspire and support our community, both professionally and personally.

Thank you once again for being part of GPN. I look forward to seeing many of you at our future events.

Warmest wishes,

Jean‑François Dor

Founder, Gay Professional Network
📞 07831 78 22 00

🌐 www.gpn.one

Jean-François Dor (He/Him)

Founder, Gay Professional Network

Chairman, Gay Business Association

📧 jf@gpn.one | 🌐 www.gpn.one

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🎟️ Rainbow Lottery – Support GPN (Tickets £1, weekly £25,000 jackpot)

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Jean-François Dor gets people together and makes it happen

Public Relations, Marketing, Events & Catering Consultant | Artist

📱 +44 7831 782 200

🌐 www.jfdor.org | www.the-network.one | www.the-gba.co.uk

“I am easily satisfied with the very best.” – Sir Winston Churchill

“Life is too short to get bored.”– Jean-François Dor

Monday, 27 July 2026

n Conversation with Jacky Logan: ballroom and latin dance equality pioneer

From: Harshil Shah <Harshil.Shah@walthamforest.gov.uk>

Subject: Info to forward onto community members

Date: 27 July 2026 at 15:15:38 BST

To: jacjuke <jacjuke@aol.com>

In Conversation with Jacky Logan: ballroom and latin dance equality pioneer

Out in the Forest are excited to present a talk with Jacky Logan, ballroom and latin dance equality pioneer, DJ and events and community organiser. In this talk, we'll hear from Jacky about her contributions to same-sex ballroom dancing, how she helped bring the Gay Games to Waltham Forest all the way back in the year 2000, and potentially show us a few dance moves as well!

Taking place on Thursday 30 July 1pm to 2pm in the Council Chambers, first floor of the Town Hall, Fellowship Road.

Kind regards,

Harshil Shah (he/him)

Communications and Campaigns Lead

Communications Department | Chief Executive Directorate

Waltham Forest Council

M: 07586 558568

Website: www.walthamforest.gov.uk

The Past is Present - Out now! ( from on of our Member)

The Past Is Present — Release day!

4 years ago, Lindsay decided to put a definitive album of her music out, and a chance meeting with singer Keziah ignited the project. Re-recording 3 songs at Creation X studios, with Prosonic Mastering, and remixes of several other songs by the incredible star of the future, Natalie Bibby at Metropolis and Air studios, the project lifted off. To give it a really special boost Luke and his team filmed a video to go with the stand out track: ‘In You’. 

Lindsay & Keziah, on the shoot for In You

In You  - watch the complete video here

Now, after decades spent moving through London’s underground music culture, queer performance spaces, independent production, and artistic collaboration, Lindsay presents her most ambitious work yet: The Past Is Present. The 17-track album is a career-spanning statement — a deeply personal collection that revisits, reimagines, and reconnects the many chapters of her musical journey. Blending archival roots with contemporary production, the album invites listeners into a world shaped by resilience, reinvention, and uncompromising creativity. From the 80’s to now: The Past Is Present. 

Lindsay says:

To have been able to work with such a talented array of musicians, producers, directors, engineers, media makers on this project, past and present, it has been a privilege and I could not have done it without you. Thank you for your kindness, expertise — but most of all, your love. 

The Past Is Present is more than an album. It is the sound of London’s underground history, queer artistic survival, and a lifetime devoted to making music on Lindsay’s own terms.

Find the full album on these platforms:

Spotify

Apple

Amazon

Tidal

Deezer

Album launch + single release TODAY!

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About Time Productions

Beyond July: Turning Disability Inclusion into Everyday Action

Welcome to Your Latest myGwork's Newsletter: Disability Pride Month Edition

Disability Pride Month may be ending, but the work of building truly inclusive workplaces doesn't stop here.

Throughout July, we've seen organisations, allies, and disabled employees come together to celebrate, educate, and champion accessible, inclusive workplaces. From storytelling to policy conversations to public acts of allyship, this month reminded us how much progress happens when companies choose to show up with intention.

It was inspiring to see our partners mark Disability Pride in their own ways, through internal panels, accessibility audits, employee resource group spotlights, and powerful cross-ERG collaborations that connected disability inclusion with every dimension of identity. And we're especially proud that 70 of our partners have now been publicly recognised as disability inclusive, a visible commitment that sets the standard for others to follow.

To everyone who shared their story, challenged outdated assumptions, or pushed their organisation to do better: thank you. You continue to inspire us.

At myGwork, we believe disability inclusion isn't a checkbox or a single month on the calendar. It's an ongoing commitment to accessibility, representation, and belonging, built into how a company hires, communicates, and grows.

That's why we help our partners go beyond good intentions. From accessible job postings and disability-inclusive employer branding to expert-led disability inclusion training courses and connecting companies with disabled talent actively looking for workplaces where they can thrive, myGwork gives your organisation the tools, knowledge, and visibility to turn commitment into action, every day of the year.

If your company is ready to strengthen its disability inclusion strategy, we're here to help you build a workplace where every employee can belong and succeed.

Become a Corporate Member

Partner Articles

Creating Disability-Inclusive Workplaces.

Creating truly inclusive environments where everyone can thrive is a cornerstone of modern business. To support this vital mission, myGwork has released an invaluable resource.

Download Full Guide

Belonging for People with Disabilities

This panel discussed inclusive practices that support individuals with disabilities in the workplace. Panelists Tony McCaffery, Jesús González Amago, Shannon Baker, Jack Willows, Andrea Knowles, and Ivana Stojicevic explored accessibility, accommodations, and inclusive culture initiatives. Attendees gained practical guidance to help ensure all employees can contribute fully and feel valued.

Watch Full Recap

This Week's News

https://mygwork.com/news/2026-data-reveals-what-queer-people-want-from-dating

Talent acquisition Skills & Development Programme

Level 1: ERG Foundations

Master inclusive hiring essentials: intake, job descriptions, screening, interviewing, and candidate experience everything new recruiters need to hire fairly, confidently.

Level 2:

Strategic Partnering

Elevate from transactional recruiter to strategic advisor: business alignment, sourcing strategy, bias mitigation, and data-driven talent decisions that influence outcomes.

Level 3: Strategic ERG Leadership

Lead TA with vision: employer branding, stakeholder navigation, inclusive team leadership, and future-proofing hiring against AI's risks and opportunities.