Trans Day of Remembrance 2025
On Thursday 20th November, 101 people gathered at Peace Walk in Victoria Park to mark Trans Day of Remembrance with a memorial walk. People gathered from across the city and county and walked in solidarity, carrying a large trans coloured wreath which was then received at Leicester Cathedral.
"Carry Their Light"
Inspired by a Trade volunteer, the theme was “Carry Their Light” and people were encouraged to come dressed in lights. A large trans coloured wreath was made by volunteers out of wire and fabric, through which streams of fairy lights were woven.
The names of each trans person reported lost to transphobia and anti-trans violence this year were attached to tags with their ages and locations, if known. As we gathered in the park – many with coats adorned with strings of fairy lights, carrying candles and lanterns – we worked together to begin attaching these 354 names to the wreath, soon filling it.
To formally open the event before we began walking, Raj from Samantha’s Wehn shared with us two poems, one written by themselves and another written by their late partner, Samantha. Lit up by both the wreath lights, and the many lights carried by those who attended, we then walked in solidarity, carrying the wreath through the park, down New Walk and into town.
Of those who attended, volunteers stepped up to take turns carrying the wreath as we walked, talked, and reflected on the light and life of trans people.
As we arrived at Leicester Cathedral, we were welcomed into a candle lit space ready to receive the wreath to rest. Upon setting the wreath down, Revd Canon Emma Davies formally welcomed us with a few words of prayer and reflection before inviting all attendees to have a quiet moment, reflect in the space, and continue writing and tying tags should they wish to.
After this, a poem by late non-binary poet Andrea Gibson, suggested by a member of our Out in Print book club, was read aloud at the close of the event. Whilst we were all invited to leave into the rest of our evenings, the wreath was left to be placed inside Leicester Cathedral making it available to visitors over the following weekend.
This event was coordinated as part of the Trans* Thriving project at Trade Sexual Health, funded by the Lottery Community Fund, in response to feedback from community listening calling for more spaces to walk together and to process grief. If you would like to know more about the Trans* Thriving project and get involved please email, transthriving@wearetradehealth.co.uk
We want to say a big thank you to all who made the event so successful, including Samantha’s Wehn, Leicester Cathedral, Leicestershire’s LGBTQ+ Centre, University of Leicester LGBTQ+ Society, and all our volunteers!
