NTPA Gear up to Sparkle at Celebration

The National Trans Police Association is gearing up for the largest Transgender event to be held in Europe.  The Sparkle event is held in Manchester�s Canal Street and surrounding area over this weekend 10^th � 12^th July.

The NTPA which was formed 18 months ago to give support to all those in the UK Police Service that see them selves with a gender variance condition, are taking part in this celebration for the first time.  ��We are very excited, as this will prove what a good resource the NTPA is for both the Police Service and the Trans Community��, commented Karen Henderson Secretary of the Association.

The weekend will be a culmination of months of planning and preparation for the NTPA.  One of its long term aims is to be a corridor for communication between a much misunderstood minority community and the Police Service.

The NTPA is also working in partnership with Greater Manchester Police over the weekend.  ��We are working with the officers policing the event as well as the party goers to show that this is a safe environment and to show that there�s is nothing to be scared of in approaching the Police�� continued Miss Henderson. 

Given the nature of what transgender means it is widely acknowledged by the Police as well as the transgender community that crime continues to go widely unreported.  ��We aim to provide information to those attending this weekend that there are many ways to report crime now, be that at a remote reporting centre, or on line�� said Martha Hand the NTPA communications Coordinator.  ��We are providing information from a lot of forces across the UK on their local reporting facilities�� she added.

The NTPA will be along side other Transgender organisations celebrating what it means to be Trans on Saturday at Sackville Gardens and alongside officers from GMP for any police related matters that arise during the day.  Staff from the Association are attending from all over the country, as far afield as Scotland and South England, to give a truly UK Police representation to the event.

Trans and Transgender are umbrella terms that include anyone that has a gender variance condition.  This includes both Trans Men and Women, people with intersex conditions, people who seem themselves as poly gender or androgyne and cross dressing/transvestite people.

Sparkle takes place this weekend Friday 10^th � Sunday 12^th July on Canal Street and Sackville Gardens, Central Manchester.

For further information on the NTPA please contact

www.ntpa.org.uk

Information regarding Sparkle can be found at

www.sparkle.org.uk