Rosie Campbell current CEO of Basis Yorkshire will be leaving the role to take up a research post in the School of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Leeds in mid September. She will be working on the Economic and Social Research Council funded 3 years participatory study of internet based sex work across the UK. “Beyond the Gaze”, is a joint study of male, female and transgender sex work to be conducted by Leeds and Strathclyde Universities. Basis Sex Work Project are one of the partners in the research. A few months after joining Basis in November 2013, Rosie collected her OBE for her work over many years with sex workers locally in Merseyside and with sex work projects and sex workers across the UK through her work in a voluntary capacity with UK Network of Sex Work Projects and National Ugly Mugs. Rosie says;
“I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved at Basis Yorkshire in the last few years, I leave at at time when progressive policy changes re sex work are taking place in Leeds and when CSE is for the first time a local and national priority. Our recent rebrand reflects that Basis is a dynamic organisation, committed to evidence based practice, always reflecting on our practice and provisions, identifying changing and new needs and trying to respond to those, always having at the heart of our work a desire to improve the safety, health, life chances and rights of the people we work with. Whilst it’s a wrench to leave the CEO role I’m very excited to be going to work on a project which will have national impact and in which Basis are a partner. Hence I will be continuing to work with the Basis sex work team on the research project and in my continued role as Co-Chair of Safer Leeds Strategic Partnership Group on Prostitution. I hope to continue to make a contribution to the work of the wider team in my role as an expert adviser for the charity and continuing as Director of Basis Education & Training CIC. The team at Basis are amazing, showing such commitment and professionalism in what is often challenging but rewarding work. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with the service users, staff, volunteers, trustees, funders, partners agencies and wider supporters of Basis. Many thanks to all I’ve worked with for your hard work, advice, sharing of experience/knowledge and your support for me and the wider organisation”.