Tell us about yourself. What you do at Virgin Atlantic
I first started with Virgin Atlantic Holidays back in 2018 within the Customer Centre. I applied for the job in the spur of the moment, I didn’t know too much about the company or the people within it but it was definitely one of the best decisions I have made! 3 years on, I have met some incredible people and done things I never thought I would have had the opportunity to do.
I now work as part of the Customer Care team within the operations control centre, making sure we always keep our customers at the forefront of what we do, even in times of disruption or when we are facing challenges such as what we have experienced over the last 18 months.
I feel incredibly lucky to work for Virgin Atlantic, where we are encouraged and supported to bring our truest selves to work every day and have the opportunity to take part in events such as Pride.
What does Pride mean to you and why is it important?
For me personally pride is about celebrating the many LGBTQ+ communities around the world and being grateful to be able to be unapologetically me! But importantly it’s also about remembering those who have fought for LGBTQ+ rights, acknowledging there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done to enable everyone within our community to be accepted for whoever they are.
Describe a Pride event for someone who hasn’t been there? Why should everyone attend at least one Pride event in their life?
I find it really hard to describe a pride event, I think it’s because there is just so much to take in and there’s an overwhelming feeling of acceptance and love with both those from the LGBTQ+ community and allies come together.
Pride events are an amazing opportunity to show your allyship for the community, allowing you to experience how incredible the diversity and people within it are!
But pride events are about so much more! They are about continuing to push for change, fighting for those who cannot safely be themselves within the communities they live in and continuing to ensure our community is accepting of everyone within it. By showing up as an ally you can make a big difference and there are so many other ways you can support the community; taking part in local pride events, supporting LGBTQ+ networks and charities or taking time to better understand LGBTQ+ history, how we have got to where we are today and what needs to be done to ensure everyone in this world is accepted for who they are.