Hosted by comedian and author Shappi Khorsandi, the evening included keynote speeches from Wes Streeting, the UK’s first openly gay Defence Secretary, 14-time Paralympic gold medallist and Britain’s most decorated LGBTQ+ athlete, Sir Lee Pearson, and Polly Miller-Perkins, the UK’s first Armed Forces Commissioner.

There were two ARNO members who were finalists in the ‘Advocate of the Year’ category – Cdre Daniel Thomas and Cdr Mandy McBain MBE but it was Cdr McBain who was the eventual winner – congratulations Mandy!