Our new Director of Services

Dr Alessandro Ceccarelli brings a wealth of experience in LGBTQ+ policy, HIV advocacy, and community-based services, alongside a track record in developing and delivering impactful initiatives. With a career spanning the charity sector, the public sector, and academia across Europe and the UK, Alessandro has been at the forefront of efforts to promote equality and human rights, and improve outcomes for marginalised communities. His leadership on the LGBTQ+ Action Plan for Wales and the HIV Action Plan for Wales has helped shape policies and initiatives that are both inclusive and transformative.

Alessandro said:

It’s a privilege to join METRO Charity and have the chance to work with its incredible staff and volunteers. METRO stands out for its unwavering commitment to communities - not just delivering services, but ensuring they are at the heart of everything we do.

I believe that the future of our sector lies in empowering and supporting community initiatives: whether to end HIV transmissions and support people living with HIV; to support and uplift our LGBTQ+ communities; or to ensure access to vital mental health, youth, and sexual and reproductive health services. And METRO is best equipped to lead the way towards that direction. I look forward to working with the Chief Executive Tony Wong, the trustees, teams, partners, and the people we serve to build on METRO’s exceptional legacy.
Dr Alessandro Ceccarelli, METRO's Director of Services

METRO’s CEO Tony Wong said:

We are delighted to welcome Alessandro to METRO, who brings incredible expertise to the role of Director of Services. Alessandro’s policy and campaign work across sexual and reproductive health, HIV, and LGBTQ+ advocacy speaks for itself, such as co-founding the Welsh Fast Track City initiative (Fast Track Cymru), and spearheading Wales HIV Testing Week and the Stop HIV Stigma campaign. Alessandro was instrumental in drafting and implementing key national policy initiatives in the Welsh Government, particularly the LGBTQ+ Action Plan for Wales which has been cited as a global example of human rights policymaking. We are excited to have him on board, and very much looking forward to what we can achieve with him as part of the METRO team.

We are also saying a fond farewell to our Acting Director of Services, Fuchsia Watson, who has also served METRO as our Head of Sexual and Reproductive Health. Thank you, Fuchsia, for your incredible work over the past three years. Your dedication, passion, and commitment are unwavering, and you have played a crucial and stabilising role during what has been a period of significant change.
Tony Wong, METRO's CEO

Alessandro also serves as a Trustee for both the National AIDS Trust and the LGBT+ Consortium.