Cumbria’s LGBT community joined others around the world to mark transgender remembrance day.

The growing transgender community paused on Wednesday to pay their respects to the thousands of members who have been killed or died as a result of their gender.

The day marks the anniversary of the murder of Rita Hester, a trans-African-American woman in Massachusetts.

Debbie Wood, trans lead and psychotherapist at Outreach Cumbria, said: “Thankfully in the UK it is rare that we have this happen.

“We do live in a better society but there is still a lot to do in terms of acceptance. We’re not there at the moment.”

She continued: “The remembrance day is very important. We took part locally, however, we have plans for next year and we hope to involve the community.”

Organised by volunteers from the trans community, the now annual remembrance event has since grown into an international commemoration.

Vigils are held across the world to mark the day, at events where the name of victims are read out.

LGBT Humanists and Humanists UK also observed the day.

In a statement the organisation said: “As LGBT Humanists we stand for empathy and concern for the rights of all humans.

“We wanted to come together, to reflect on how we can do more as a community to support trans people, and to

share our outrage at the violence being perpetrated against trans people every day.”