Oral history; interview with Claire Borrill-Bromige, 2023
Main details
| Reference number | 2023/177 |
|---|---|
| Description | Claire Borrill-Bromige, vice chair of OUTbound, the TfL LGBT+ staff network group and TfL Diversity and Inclusion Specialist. |
| Interviewee | Claire Borrill-Bromige |
| Dates | 23/01/2023 |
| Collection | |
| Object type |
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| Topics | |
| Completeness | 60% |
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Physical description
Item content Attribute Value Object title Oral history interview with Claire Borrill-Bromige, 2023 -
Interview summary
Track 1 of 1 [01:13:08] Claire Borrill-Bromige (she/her) was born in 1970 in Bermondsey. Father worked as a painter decorator and mother was a civil service waitress. Claire has one brother and one sister, she is youngest. Grew up in Bermondsey and Camberwell. Attended primary school in Camberwell and secondary in Beckenham. Talks about being interested in sport at school. Attended Youth Training Scheme studying computers. Talks through jobs after finishing school including work experience at IBM. Then went travelling. Mentions not having lived at family home since age 14 [00:05:00]. Describes urge to want to drive buses. Joined at Norwood Bus Garage aged 21. Very few women. Moved to London and Country as bus driver, more community engagement. Moved back to London Transport. Describes sexism. Challenge of being a gay woman in work environment. Poor facilities for women. Explains current role as Diversity and Inclusion Specialist for Transport for London. Found a sense of belonging in work. Talks through career at TfL including Revenue Protection Inspector [00:10:00]. Describes becoming a prosecutor and squad leader. In 2002 joined Transport Operation Command Unit with Metropolitan Police and TfL. Claire seconded to Met Police, describes role with Intelligence Units [00:15:00]. Explains interest in diversity and inclusion. Talks about Claire and wife starting a family. Challenging stereotypes [00:20:00]. Explains how her children have been educated. Invitation to support school as Governor and Chair of PTA, set up diversity and inclusion working group. Impact on curriculum. Mentions moving to Medway, concerns over lack of diversity [00:25:00]. Reflects on lack of homophobia in Medway, perceptions challenged. Talks about pandemic offering opportunity to re-evaluate career direction. Speaks positively about current manager [00:30:00]. Became permanent diversity and inclusion staff in January 2023. Explains pink depots on Underground. Different on bus network. Communities of staff coming together, meeting in libraries and gay bars. Mentions challenge of women's uniform. Safe space within bus, working alone. Mentions colleagues who were transitioning, comments made by others [00:34:40]. Talks about awareness of staff networks around 2004. Became involved around 2010 when trying for a family. Policies not working for their circumstances. Mentions running hate crime campaigns with police. Talks about Martyn Loukes, working together. Describes involvement with Women staff network and Parents and Carers staff network. Explains work into reporting of hate crimes [00:40:00]. Describes becoming Vice Chair of OUTbound. Embedding past learning, creating a legacy. Explains current aims of OUTbound. Listening sessions, evaluation with members through surveys [00:45:00]. Advocating for inclusive language. Describes importance of allyship, hearing different view points. Mentions trans and non-binary conversation cards. Talks about Lunch and Learn sessions on Sharepoint. Talks about Pride month activities [00:50:00]. Importance of reflecting on what has been learned to date. Explains frequent interaction with other TfL staff network groups. Shared digital event calendar. Describes involvement with Pride events. Modern Day Families work. Share learning and knowledge with Nexus [00:54:40]. Ride with Pride planning team. Every Story Matters campaign. Talks about collaborations. Reflects on proudest achievements. Describes change in working culture. Challenge of detachment of operational staff [01:00:00]. Explains work around uniform and pronouns on name badges. Difficulty of communication within large organisation. Describes mapping of priorities with OUTbound [01:05:00]. Ambition for all to be able to come to work as authentic selves. Term as Vice Chair ends in October 2023. Talks about external collaborations. Reflects on long-term ambition for OUTbound. Issues evolve and change [01:09:45]. Importance of gradual change, implementing in small steps. Mentions dyslexia, methods of learning. Ends with talking about meeting wife at TfL. [End of recording] Please note: this is a summary of the full original recording rather than the edited web version -
People involved
Role Person(s) involved Interviewer Jen Kavanagh, 23/01/2023Interviewee Claire Borrill-Bromige -
Associated companies, people and places
Places Interview location Palestra, 23/01/2023People Attribute Value People Joe Brown -