Members of the community have been asked to support the transgender community in their day of remembrance.

Transgender Awareness Week is a week when transgender people and their allies take action and work to educate the public about who transgender people are by sharing stories and experiences, considering issues of prejudice, discrimination, and violence that affect the transgender community.

The week concluded with Transgender Day of Remembrance yesterday, an annual day to honour the memory of the transgender people who lost their lives in acts of anti-transgender violence in the year gone by.

From October 2019 to September 30 2020, 350 trans and gender-diverse people were registered as murdered worldwide.

Outreach Cumbria asked people to light a candle at 8pm last night and to share an image on social media using #outreachcumbriaTDOR.

Deborah Earl, county council cabinet member for public health and community services, said: “It is nice for the community to take a moment to remember those who are or have struggled with their gender.”

Transgender Day of Remembrance was founded by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honour the memory of Rita Hester, who was killed in 1998.

The vigil began an important memorial that has become the annual day of remembrance.