On Friday 17th October 2025, I was honoured to take home the Diversity Champion Award at The Collaborative Network’s LGBTQ+ FLOWERS Awards.
Now in its second year, the LGBTQ+ FLOWERS Awards, founded by Josef Hollywood and Mike Skeggs, were set up to be more than just accolades. They serve as a powerful platform to build and strengthen networks through the medium of recognition and peer support.
Recognition is something I’m a huge champion of. So many people do incredible things and never so much as receive a simple “well done.” Nights like these, especially those that focus on minority groups such as the LGBTQ+ community, are essential.
They are needed even more in times like these, when our community increasingly feels targeted by sections of society.
For me, activism has been part of my life for around 15 years; starting with my YouTube channel, JohnBirdMedia, which opened doors to incredible opportunities, including travelling to London and LA to collaborate with other creators.
That passion evolved into my time with Liverpool Pride, beginning as a volunteer social media manager, then becoming a trustee and ultimately, co-chair (all within the space of 3 years!). From there came the co-founding of LCR Pride Foundation, before I relocated to Northern Ireland and found myself in politics, being elected as the first openly LGBTQ+ councillor in Ballymena on Mid & East Antrim Council.
I returned home to Liverpool in 2023, after enduring a horrific online harassment campaign, one that accused me of one of the worst things you can call a gay man, alongside other personal reasons. Since then, I’ve slowly been rebuilding.
This summer, I launched my own LGBTQ+ video podcast, Proudly Said, a project inspired by both my former podcast The Little Bird Told Me (over a decade ago) and Best of Belfast. It’s about hearing the stories and experiences of incredible people who might not otherwise get the chance to share them.
Throughout my adult life, I’ve always tried to connect and champion others wherever I can, be it linking up people with shared interests, speaking highly of others when they’re not in the room, or helping where possible.
To have that recognised means the world.
Thank you, sincerely, to everyone who’s supported me, encouraged me, and believed in the power of connection and recognition.
Mike Skeggs said, “We created theLGBTQ+ FLOWERS Awards to shine a light on those who uplift others, open doors, and make our community a kinder and more inclusive place. Creating a platform to honour and celebrate those in our community that proudly represent our LGBTQ+ family.
John embodies the true spirit of a Diversity Champion. Through his actions, his advocacy and the way he brings people together, he reminds us why this platform matters and what positive change really looks like.”
Proudly Said recently supported Thrive Careers Hub with their event, Raise Up.
The Raise Up Youth Summit took place in Liverpool on 15 October 2025, bringing together young people, employers, educators and sector leaders to tackle the issue of social mobility and routes into meaningful employment. Held at BOXPARK Liverpool, the event was split into two halves:
The morning focused on employers, featuring keynote talks and panel discussions exploring barriers to opportunity, workplace inclusion, and youth-led change.
In the afternoon, the space was opened up to hundreds of young people, offering them an interactive experience of connection and practical insight.
Spearheaded by Rise Construction Framework and its social value arm Thrive Careers Hub, Raise Up aimed to break down silos between business and youth voice, with every employer ticket directly funding a young person’s place.
The summit featured speakers including Sara Davies MBE, broadcaster Ashley John-Baptiste, and representatives from Channel 4, the EY Foundation, and the Social Mobility Foundation, among others.
I played a small part in producing a short video which was played at the very beginning of the event, so before the young people arrived, which acted as their voice prior to the talks starting – asking everyone in the room to be the change makers in today’s society, and help them RAISE UP.
Rise Construction Framework Director, Sara Lawton said:
“We were thrilled with the video John produced for our inaugural Raise Up summit, we wanted a simple video that could communicate a clear message of why young people matter. John was great at following the brief and, most importantly, putting the young people at ease. We would not hesitate to use John again.”
You can see a short Reel highlight of the event on Instagram HERE.
We’ve all been told at some point, hell, we’ve all seen, that social media is a bit of a circus. And yes, if you scroll long enough, you’ll find your fair share of nonsense.
But here’s the thing: when used with genuine and clear intention, social media can be one of the most powerful tools we have for so many different things.
The Way We Scroll Has Changed
The biggest shift I’ve noticed is in how people consume content. Attention spans are shorter, scrolling is constant (who else refers to it as the doom scroll?), and people make split-second decisions about whether to engage.
That can feel intimidating, especially for those of us creating content to be seen and heard. But it also means short, sharp, high-quality content can cut through the noise in ways traditional marketing just can’t.
It’s All About Storytelling
For community organisations, campaigners, and small businesses, this is a game-changer. A 30-second clip filmed on your phone can tell your story, showcase your work, and reach hundreds, if not thousands, of people.
It doesn’t need to be complicated. It just needs to be authentic and real.
Too many people either ignore social media altogether, or throw things online without thinking about whether it’s the right format for the right audience.
Being social media ready means creating content that’s short, engaging, and designed for the platforms where people actually spend their time.
And yes, while social media is a marketing tool, it’s also storytelling. Whether you’re a grassroots group trying to reach people who might need your support, or a local business showcasing your product, your story has to live where people can see it.
A City of Storytellers
Liverpool has always been a city of storytellers, from music and football to activism and art. Today, that same storytelling just happens to take place on a screen in someone’s hand.
And if we embrace that, the possibilities are endless.
Mainstream platforms don’t always capture the realities of our lives – national news often skims the surface of an issue, but the real stories happen locally, in the places we live and work.
That’s why spaces where people can speak openly about who they are, what they’ve been through, and what they dream of are so important. These spaces are both valuable and powerful.
The Spirit Behind Proudly Said
That’s a big reason why I started Proudly Said, it’s not about professional broadcasters or mainstream voices. It’s about the people who make up our community, and the stories that deserve to be heard.
Sometimes that story is about someone setting up a social group that helps others feel less alone. Whilst other times, it’s about a person showing resilience in the face of prejudice. Whatever the story, these conversations matter.
Stories That Create Connection
Community-led storytelling does more than shine a light, it creates a genuine connection with what is being said. It uplifts those doing so much without the recognition, and often without even realising the difference they’re making.
It also challenges stereotypes, gives further nuance to oversimplified conversations, and, hopefully, reminds us that none of us are in this alone.
Liverpool: A City Built on Stories
Liverpool is the perfect place for this kind of storytelling. It’s a city known for its honesty, its humour, and its ability to fight for what’s right.
When local voices are amplified, their impact ripples far beyond the city region.
If you take one thing away, let it be this: never underestimate the power of sharing your story, because your voice might be the one that makes someone else feel seen.
Between August 2024 and August 2025, John Hyland served as Community Partnerships and Individual Giving Lead at Sahir House, Liverpool’s oldest LGBTQ+ and HIV charity, founded in 1985 and operating across the Liverpool City Region.
The role sat at the intersection of external relationship building, fundraising development, digital communications, and community engagement. In practice, it stretched considerably further than the job description.
The Snapshot
Role: Community Partnerships and Individual Giving Lead Organisation: Sahir House Tenure: August 2024 to August 2025 Focus areas: Stakeholder and partnership development, individual giving, social media and digital content, community engagement, event coordination
Raising the Charity’s Profile
A significant part of the role involved increasing Sahir’s visibility, both among potential donors and partners, and within the wider LGBTQ+ community it serves.
This included direct outreach to local businesses, organisations, and high-profile individuals to build awareness of the charity and develop relationships with the potential to grow into fundraising, sponsorship, or longer-term partnership.
Among the visits and engagements facilitated during this period was a visit from Dame Angela Eagle DBE MP, Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum, which coincided with National HIV Testing Week and generated positive press coverage for the charity. Read the coverage here.
A meeting with Olly Alexander, one of the UK’s most prominent LGBTQ+ musicians and public figures, resulted in a mention of Sahir on national television, extending the charity’s reach to a significantly wider audience. That moment was captured on video.
Digital and Content
Sahir’s social media and website content saw a significant increase in activity and visibility during this period. A blog programme was established on the charity’s website, serving both as a community engagement tool and an SEO development initiative.
Content included guest blogs from community members and partner organisations, LGBTQ+ History Month personal stories, World AIDS Day reflections, service updates, and event coverage. The programme brought in external voices including Liverpool Frontrunners, individual community members sharing personal stories, and partners across the region.
Blog and news activity on the Sahir website was notably higher during this tenure than before or since, reflecting a deliberate strategy to build the charity’s digital presence and searchability.
The Pound for Sahir Appeal
An individual giving campaign, the Pound for Sahir appeal, was developed during this period as a way of encouraging a large number of people to give small, regular amounts that would accumulate into meaningful income for the charity.
The appeal took on an unexpected and profound significance when a post promoting it, shared by a high-profile public figure with a deep personal connection to Sahir, became their final social media post before their sudden passing in January 2025. That post alone generated donations from supporters across the globe, reaching audiences the charity could never have anticipated and bringing international attention to Sahir’s work at a deeply difficult moment.
Coverage of the appeal and its significance was carried by Metro, ITV Granada, LBC, and many others.
Following the sudden passing of a much-loved Liverpool LGBTQ+ icon in January 2025, Sahir took a leading role in coordinating the city’s community response.
This included facilitating a Book of Condolences at the Museum of Liverpool, with the physical book donated by John Lewis, giving the public a dignified and accessible space to record their tributes over several days.
Sahir also led the organisation of a public vigil at St George’s Plateau, which drew approximately 1,000 people and generated national and international press coverage across BBC, ITV, Sky News, PinkNews, The Mirror, The Independent, and many others. That event is documented in full in a separate case study.
When LCR Pride Foundation announced it would not be delivering Pride in Liverpool in 2025, Sahir stepped in to coordinate a community-led response. The groundwork for that response was laid during this tenure.
A key piece of relationship brokering brought together the CEOs of Sahir and Liverpool BID Company, establishing the partnership that would underpin Sahir’s ability to facilitate Pride 2025. A Queer Town Hall was led and facilitated, bringing the Liverpool LGBTQ+ community together to discuss what Pride could look like and what it would take to make it happen. Initial stakeholder meetings were attended before the role concluded in August 2025.
Sahir went on to deliver Liverpool’s Pride 2025 and was subsequently awarded the British LGBT Award for Community Impact, with judges specifically recognising the charity’s role in securing the future of Pride in Liverpool.
The role also involved significant involvement in a full refresh of Sahir’s Board of Trustees, supporting the recruitment process that brought an entirely new board into place during this period.
What This Demonstrates
Stakeholder and partnership development across public, corporate, and community organisations
High-profile relationship management and facilitation
Individual giving campaign development
Digital content strategy and execution, including SEO-focused blogging and social media
Rapid community response coordination under sensitive and high-pressure circumstances
Event facilitation including public community engagement and Queer Town Hall
Strategic relationship brokering between senior organisational leaders
Governance support including trustee recruitment
This work was carried out in an employed capacity at Sahir House between August 2024 and August 2025.
For consultancy, community engagement, partnerships, or communications work, get in touch at hey@proudlysaid.co.uk
In January 2025, following the sudden passing of a much-loved public figure with deep roots in Liverpool’s LGBTQ+ community, the city needed a space to grieve together. No formal event was planned and there was no existing infrastructure to coordinate one.
Within three days, a public vigil had been organised, resourced, and delivered at St George’s Plateau, drawing approximately 1,000 people.
The Snapshot
Date: January 2025 Location: St George’s Plateau, Liverpool Attendance: Approximately 1,000 people Lead time: 3 days from conception to delivery Role: Sole organiser and press spokesperson Media coverage: BBC, ITV Granada, Sky News, PinkNews, Metro, The Mirror, The Independent, Liverpool Echo, and others
(Proudly Said)
The Challenge
The circumstances were demanding from the outset. St George’s Plateau had a prior commercial booking, with a production team’s vehicles already in the space. There was no budget. Media interest was immediate. And the event needed to feel worthy of the moment: properly resourced, dignified, and inclusive.
All of that needed to happen in three days, with constant communication with the individual’s family.
How It Came Together
Liverpool City Council was engaged to confirm the venue, which included facilitating the relocation of the production team’s vehicles at short notice. MSP provided professional AV at a substantially reduced rate, with local businesses contributing financially to make it possible.
St George’s Hall and the Liverpool Empire were among the iconic buildings that lit up green on the day as a mark of tribute. Open Media, Liverpool One, and the Royal Court Theatre donated space on their public-facing screens to display tributes throughout the day.
Press liaison was handled throughout, with media enquiries managed and coordinated from the point the event was announced, alongside the news of their passing.
The Coverage
The vigil was covered nationally and internationally, including:
Approximately 1,000 people gathered at St George’s Plateau in a peaceful, moving, and well-resourced public event. Delivered within three days, with no formal budget at the point of conception, the vigil gave Liverpool’s community a proper space to come together.
What This Demonstrates
Crisis response and rapid event organisation under significant time and emotional pressure
Stakeholder engagement across public sector, corporate, and creative partners
Sponsorship and in-kind support secured at short notice
Press liaison and media management at national and international scale
Community-centred event delivery with dignity and sensitivity
For consultancy, event organisation, community engagement, or communications work, get in touch at hey@proudlysaid.co.uk
In August 2018, following a period of significant organisational challenge within Liverpool Pride Ltd, a decision was made to step back from the existing structure and build something new.
The opportunity was clear. Liverpool had established itself as a city with genuine LGBTQ+ credentials, but the infrastructure to support and grow that identity needed to evolve. Rather than simply continuing what existed, the aim was to create an organisation with a broader brief, a stronger foundation, and deeper roots across the entire Liverpool City Region.
Working alongside a co-founder, and entirely on a voluntary basis alongside full-time employment, the process of building what would become LCR Pride Foundation began.
The Snapshot
Role: Co-founder and Co-chair Timeframe: August 2018 to February 2019 Organisation: LCR Pride Foundation (registered charity) Mission: To make the Liverpool City Region the most LGBTQ+ friendly region in the UK Stakeholders engaged: Approximately 100 organisations and individuals prior to launch Launch event: Official partner and stakeholder launch, Love Lane Brewery, Liverpool
LCR Pride Foundation Stakeholder launch at Love Lane Brewery
The Challenge
The founding period was demanding in every sense. A new charitable organisation needed to be built from scratch, including company formation and charity registration, with no dedicated resource or budget.
Approximately 100 stakeholder organisations and individuals needed to be engaged ahead of launch, to build confidence, establish relationships, and communicate the vision. And the narrative needed to be managed carefully throughout, presenting the transition as a natural and positive evolution of Liverpool Pride rather than a break or rupture.
All of that was sustained entirely voluntarily. Stakeholder meetings began at 8am before a full working day, and foundation work continued into the evenings, often until 8 or 9pm. It was intense, and done for the love and the passion.
The Approach
The central challenge was not simply operational but reputational. The story told, consistently and across every conversation, was one of evolution rather than replacement: that Liverpool Pride was becoming LCR Pride Foundation, with an expanded brief and a renewed commitment to the whole region.
That framing held. The transition was received as a progressive step forward, and the circumstances that had made it necessary were never brought into question publicly.
Over the five months between August 2018 and the February 2019 launch, around 100 organisations and individuals were engaged individually. Relationships with Liverpool City Council and Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram were maintained and deepened, and new relationships were established with boroughs and organisations across the wider region.
LCR Pride Foundation was formally incorporated as a new company and registered as a charity, with a new board of trustees recruited to support the organisation from its earliest days.
Volunteer engagement event, discussing organisational changes with regular volunteers.
The Launch
The official partner and stakeholder launch took place at Love Lane Brewery in Liverpool in February 2019, bringing together the organisations, individuals, and community figures engaged throughout the founding period.
Coverage was secured across the Liverpool Echo, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s own channels, Bi Community News, and the Foundation’s own platform.
John speaking at LCR Pride Foundation launch at Love Lane Brewery.
What Was Set in Motion
In the months following the launch, LCR Pride Foundation moved quickly. Pride in Liverpool 2019 was delivered under the new Foundation’s banner, with a full festival programme and strong press coverage. Conversations around an inaugural LCR Pride Awards were initiated. A bid to bring the Gay Games to Liverpool in 2026 was launched, reflecting the ambition of the organisation’s regional and national positioning.
The Foundation also established itself as a community voice, with its leadership called upon to respond publicly to incidents affecting the LGBTQ+ community, including coverage on BBC News.
What This Demonstrates
Strategic organisational thinking and the ability to identify opportunity within complexity
Narrative management and disciplined public messaging across a sensitive transition
Large-scale stakeholder engagement delivered entirely on a voluntary basis
Charity formation and governance, including board recruitment and company incorporation
Relationship building with public sector partners at city and regional level
Community leadership and public spokesperson work
Sustained delivery under significant personal and professional pressure
This work was undertaken on a voluntary basis, alongside full-time employment, between August 2018 and early 2019.
For consultancy, strategic communications, community engagement, or LGBTQ+ advocacy work, get in touch at hey@proudlysaid.co.uk
