A journalist who launched a network for LGBTQ+ colleagues has left a regional daily to join a specialist national publication.

Sophie Perry has said farewell to the Oxford Mail, where she worked for 18 months, after taking a new role with LGBTQ+ Pink News.

Sophie, pictured, set up the LGBTQ+ Journalism Network last year after being “shocked” that no such group for journalists who are members of the community existed.

She was later recognised with the Inclusion & Diversity prize at the Newsquest Excellence Awards for her working in launching the network.

More recently, Sophie has spoken out about how she was temporarily forced to quit social media for the sake of her mental health and opened up about the homophobic abuse she had received.

She began her new role with Pink News last month, teaming up with former Wales Online community reporter Joe Ali who has also joined Pink News as reported by HTFP last week.

Speaking to HTFP, Sophie said: “My time at the Oxford Mail was a fantastic learning experience packed full of weird, wonderful and incredibly important stories that come from local journalism.

“Thanks to the support of my editors and the wider team in Oxford I feel my journalism skills came on leaps and bounds thanks to the years of experience they had between them.

“It goes without saying that LGBTQ+ news and issues are what I have always been passionate about so a role at Pink News – where I will be covering national and international stories – is a dream move.

“My first few weeks at Pink News have already seen me cover the government blocking Scotland’s gender reform bill, the debate around trans gender prisoners, homophobia in football, US politics and so much more.”