Who’s behind Out of Office?
Out of Office is convened by Clive Reeves DL, a communications professional with more than forty years’ experience working with businesses, public bodies and civic organisations. Events have been running since 2011, and fifteen years on it continues to grow steadily in the cities where it feels useful.
Reeves, the communications consultancy founded by Clive, sponsors Out of Office and provides the organising effort behind it. That sponsorship sits on top of a long track record of supporting LGBTQ+ sport in Birmingham, including early sponsorship of Birmingham Blaze FC, the city’s LGBT+ football club, and more recently the inclusive rugby club Birmingham Bulls RFC.
In the North East, Out of Office is organised by Matt Bratton, Regional Director for the North East and Cumbria at the CBI. Alongside his CBI role, Matt has worked with inclusive community groups such as Newcastle Ravens and Northern Proud Voices, the North East’s largest and longest-running LGBTQIA+ choir, which we have brought in to give some of our events a lift.
We’re also pleased to be supported by our media partner Pride Radio.
In the picture from the left: Matt Bratton, Rob Williamson OBE, DL, Kim McGuinness, Carol Bell OBE and Clive Reeves DL
Some of the conversations we’ve hosted
From time to time we’re asked to bring the Out of Office format into wider programmes when it helps get the right people into the room. Recent examples include:
Northern Pride Fringe, Newcastle
At Ward Hadaway’s Quayside offices we hosted Out of Office: Bold Voices, Bright Futures – a Northern Pride special, with a panel featuring Rob Williamson OBE DL (Chief Executive, Community Foundation), North East Mayor Kim McGuinness and Carol Bell OBE (Creative UK). The conversation focused on visibility, leadership and LGBTQ+ inclusion in business, followed by informal networking.
Pride in Gateshead, Hilton Newcastle Gateshead
Working with Out North East for Pride in Gateshead, we ran an Out of Office LGBTQ+ networking evening at the Hilton Newcastle Gateshead, introducing the format to the south side of the Tyne in a mainstream setting overlooking the river.
Birmingham city centre, Shoosmiths
In Birmingham, we produced and facilitated an LGBTQ+ leadership event at Shoosmiths’ Colmore Row offices where Sir Andy Street CBE, then Mayor of the West Midlands, spoke openly about being an out political leader and his personal coming out story in front of a business audience. The event was delivered by the same team behind Out of Office, with Reeves as a supporting partner.
Across all of these, the constant is the same: proper conversations about leadership, inclusion and visibility, held in everyday professional venues rather than on the “scene”.
Pride Radio, our media partner
Pride Radio is the inclusive radio station bringing LGBT+ voices, great music and proper conversation to the North East and beyond.
You can listen across the North East on 89.2FM and DAB, and across the UK via the free Pride World Media app, TuneIn and smart speakers. Pride Radio is based at the brand new ONE Centre, the UK’s first LGBT+ business and media hub.
Broadcasting since 2010, Pride Radio has built a diverse audience who love its mix of live and pre-recorded shows, lively conversation and real listener interaction.
The station is run by OUT North East, a not-for-profit organisation that raises awareness of LGBT+ issues, supports health initiatives, and promotes social inclusion and diversity through broadcasts and events. Through partnerships including the NHS, local and national health providers, campaigning organisations, community groups and education establishments, Pride Community Network delivers initiatives spanning sexual health and wellbeing, gender identity and mental health awareness.
In 2021, Pride Radio was named Station of the Year (Gold) at the Community Radio Awards.