31 mins
Antonia Belcher
Founder of the Antonia & Andrea Belcher Trans Fund
Antonia had had 46 years’ experience in the construction and property industries and led her own business that she formed in 2007, until she retired in June 2021. Transitioning in 2000/2003 in a very male dominated working environment, where there was no history of or visible LGBT influences to draw on, she presses for positive change for LGBT+ good in society. A Board Director of the Chartered Surveyors Training Trust, Diversity Role Models, Terrence Higgins Trust, Queer Britain, Not A Phase, and a Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors, and advisor to other organisations she particularly seeks equal opportunities for Women/LGBT+ within the Construction Industry, which has of course been a side of business generally slow to react to such. She was shortlisted in 2017 for the Gay Times ‘Success in Entrepreneurship’ Gary Frisch award and in 2018 nominated in the NatWest British LGBT Awards – Inspiration Leader category, and nominated amongst a group of “exceptional surveyors from The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)” to celebrate their 150th Anniversary, showcasing significant and positive impact that surveyors have made to society through those 150 years. In 2022, she was awarded an OBE by the late Queen, for services to Equality in Business which she received from King Charles III.