A Tale of Two Lives: A funny thing happened on the way to the Palace

Inspirational story of award winning trans activist, writer, trainer and counsellor: Helen Dale.

Having grown up as a RAF Brat and keen scout, dreaming of being a pilot in the RAF, she concealed a secret for decades before accepting, in 1998, that she needed to transition.

Losing one job as a consequence, she joined Greater Manchester Probation in 1999. As the first openly trans employee nationally she provided awareness training for probation and prison staff and others and became the de facto lead on trans issues.

She persuaded the then Lesbian and Gay staff association to extend its membership criteria to include trans and spent several years as chair. She also helped to found a:gender — the UK pan-Civil Service trans support network and was made an honorary life member when she retired in 2015. She served on local and national diversity boards and chaired a trans charity in Manchester as well as training as a counsellor.

Her work was recognised with several awards including a Butler Trust Award presented by HRH Princess Anne at Buckingham Palace.

“A Tale of Two Lives” tells how she came out to family and friends and how that might have been handled better! It also covers her life after transition, embarking on a range of activities learning to scuba dive, qualifying as a yacht skipper, fire breathing, diving with sharks — including Great Whites — and holidaying around the world as part of a group or on solo trips showing that being trans is no barrier to living a full life.

what readers have said:
"an excellent read and filled in some of the gaps in your eventful life. It was a brave thing to write it but I would not expect anything less from you”

“I've read the book and found it very interesting, down
to earth, no holds barred, and for me personally extremely helpful in understanding a close relative in a similar situation. Well done, I look forward to the next one."

Helen grew up as a RAF Brat and dreamed of being a pilot herself but failed the medical due to having had hay fever (the RAF considered it risky trying to land an aircraft and sneezing at the wrong moment).Throughout her childhood and early career in pr, advertising and marketing and getting married and having a family, she concealed the secret that she was transgendered. In 1998, she accepted that she needed to transition. Losing one job as a consequence, she joined Greater Manchester Probation as IT help desk manager. As the first openly trans employee nationally she provided awareness training for probation and prison staff (and others) and became the de facto lead on trans issues.She persuaded the then Lesbian and Gay staff association (LAGIP) to extend its membership criteria to include trans and bisexual members and spent several years as chair. She also helped to found a: gender - the UK pan-Civil Service trans support network and was made an honorary life member when she retired in 2015. She served on local and national diversity boards and chaired a trans charity in Manchester as well as training as a counsellor. Her work was recognised with several awards including a Butler Trust Award presented by HRH Princess Anne at Buckingham Palace.Since retiring, she has continued to present workshops on trans issues and provide counselling for trans individuals. She has also become a volunteer with Diversity Role Models - going into schools and talking to students about homophobic, transphobic and biphobic bullying.She has a website for her writing at www.helendaleuthor.info