We’ve launched our lottery page with Glasgow Community Lottery to raise fund for our cause and community in Glasgow

Support us at www.glasgowlottery.scot/support/lgbt-health-and-wellbeing 

Glasgow Community Lottery is an exciting weekly lottery that raises money for good causes in the area of Glasgow and its residents. To support our cause and the LGBT+ community in Glasgow, you can find our support page here. 

We have a target of 50 tickets. Tickets for the lottery cost just £1 per week. Each ticket has a 1 in 50 chance to win a prize each week, with a top prize of £25,000. From every £1 ticket you buy, we receive 60p. This is double The National Lottery contribution rates and that’s the way we like it. The draws take place every Saturday and a 6 digit winning combination will be picked with winners notified by email.

For more information, visit: www.glasgowlottery.scot

Hello! I’m Grant and I’ve just started at LGBT Health and Wellbeing as the Service Manager for Glasgow.

I first found out about LGBT Health a few years ago – while working for a different charity – when I recruited Elizabeth as one of our Volunteer Counsellors. We invited Elizabeth to give a presentation to our staff and volunteers to share her experience in working with the LGBT+ community and hear how we could best meet their needs. I remember being amazed with what Elizabeth and LGBT Health were doing in Glasgow, and since then I have been following the charity on social media and keeping up with the fantastic work that’s been going on.

I’ve been working and volunteering in the third sector since 2013. For over two years I was a Volunteer Manager, making sure volunteers were fully supported and that their work was rewarding, celebrated and valued. After that I worked in Community Outreach; making support more accessible, rolling out our services to communities with high levels of deprivation. This was such a rewarding role, and I remain passionate about accessibility and inclusivity so I hope to continue to include this in the great work the LGBT Health team are already doing.

For the two years before the pandemic I was Service Manager, looking after the charity’s counselling services, physical wellbeing services, self-management programme and support groups. From this role I know how underfunded and overstretched the NHS mental health teams are, and that often the needs of the LGBT+ community are not fully met in these settings. I think it’s so important to have a charity dedicated to supporting and promoting the health and wellbeing of our community, helping to reduce isolation, and providing spaces for us to meet and be our authentic selves.

I’ve spent the past week finding out more about the projects my team have been overseeing, and I’m blown away by everything they’ve managed to achieve, particularly with the backdrop of COVID19. Whether that’s the Trans Support Programme, the incredible work being done to support asylum seekers and refugees, or our programme of community events. Moving these events and groups online has allowed us to provide a safe space for people at a time where many of our usual haunts are closed. I hope that I’m able to support them to continue to develop each of their projects, and that some time soon we’ll be able to deliver our services in-person again.

Everyone I’ve met (via Zoom) so far has been super friendly and helpful and I’m so excited to be joining the team. I’m looking to meeting you all properly, but if you’d like to get in touch sooner please feel free at grant@lgbthealth.org.uk.

This has been another busy and eventful year for us, engaging with people from across the LGBT+ community and throughout the life course. There have been many new developments and highlights. Alongside the very strong delivery of our more established Community, Trans, Mental Wellbeing and LGBT Age (50+) programmes, we’ve also continued to develop newer initiatives. Our two-year LGBT Dementia Project gathered pace, including through a secondment from Alzheimer Scotland, and the work of See Me Proud has grown from strength to strength, boosted by a new cohort of champions. One of the year’s highlights has been LGBT Age’s short film Return to the Closet?; made in collaboration with Luminate it reflects on the hopes, fears and aspirations of older LGBT people in relation to care.

Much of the focus of our policy work has been on mental health, including our National Conversation on Mental Health events, as well as continuing to support our community’s involvement in the campaign for Gender Recognition Act reform.

We remain strongly focused on responding to the needs of our communities. After increased engagement with asylum seekers and refugees, we scoped the acute needs of this section of our community, and secured funding for a ground-breaking Glasgow-based LGBT Refugee Project, which launched in March 2020.

We showcased our vibrant and increasingly well-established Glasgow work at our Well Proud Information Event in the City Chambers. However, in spite of the successful development of these services, and the growing demand, we continue to lack statutory funding for our Glasgow work. This means programmes remain reliant on precarious funding, and are proving hard to sustain. In contrast, we’ve continued to secure public sector contracts to deliver much of our Edinburgh-based work.

Organisationally, we have continued to focus on promoting the health and wellbeing of staff and volunteers. And our Accommodation Working Group has been looking at the organisation’s premises, with an initial focus on the relocation of our Edinburgh office base. At the end of the period covered by this annual report we entered lockdown. Our staff and volunteers responded to this unprecedented challenge immediately and with great creativity and resourcefulness, enabling us to move within days to remote service delivery. As well as moving our group delivery online, and providing one-to-one support remotely, we extended the hours of our LGBT Helpline Scotland and set up a new outreach Telefriending Service. Our key message to the LGBT+ community has been: “We are still here for you – we have suspended face to face services and events, but we are not stopping our work.”

This year, more than ever, we would like to pay credit to our amazing staff, volunteers, and board members for their tremendous commitment to supporting Scotland’s LGBT community. It is thanks to their effort and dedication that over the last year we have been able to continue to provide an excellent service for the community, even through the challenges of Covid-19.

We are extremely proud of everything we have collectively achieved over the last year. We could not have done this without the support of our many partners, and most crucially the engagement of so many wonderful and diverse individuals from across Scotland’s LGBT+ community.

Read full annual report 2019-20

I thank the walls for helping folks to talk, for holding the words and feelings of those who needed a safe place to share them. And I’m glad the shelter and house-like feel to the place, provided a level of comfort for those whose own homes couldn’t always provide it. For those who spent days, weeks, months and sometimes years summoning the courage to ring the bell of No. 9, I’m proud of you.

For everyone who sang, wrote, painted and planted seeds, made banners, listened and learned and lifted others spirits… for everyone who visited to cheer on our volunteer and staff team over the many years, thank you for helping to fill the Centre with your kindness and warmth.

But the shelter and comfort that our community deserves, I believe, can be found wherever we gather. We build it, shape it and share it wherever we are and it’s vital that LGBTQIA+ people of all backgrounds and abilities, have the access, support and opportunity to be part of something that serves us all.

And so to barriers… the steps and stairs and heavy doors to name a few, I bid a happy farewell. The Edinburgh team will take our passion to a more accessible Duncan Place and we look forward to making it a welcoming, safe place for all who want to join us there.

Jules

Consortium is delighted to announce the launch of the LGBT+ Futures: National Emergencies Trust Fund. Thanks to funding from the National Emergencies Trust, Consortium will be working with our Grants Panel to distribute £350,000 of onward grants to diverse LGBT+ organisations from across the UK.

This important new fund is designed to address the additional needs LGBT+ people and communities have faced as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. It will support and strengthen LGBT+ organisations that have been impacted by Covid-19 and who are working hard to meet the needs of those most affected.

As part of the launch and responding to the evidenced increase in calls and requests for support through LGBT+ helplines, Consortium are announcing the award of 8 grants totaling £200,000 to helplines supporting LGBT+ people across the UK. This immediate injection of funding will allow them to respond to the huge increase in call volumes so as many LGBT+ people can access the initial support they need.

Applications are now being invited by any UK based organisation working with and for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans + people and communities. Funding of up to £15,000 will be available to organisations. Guidance and application details can be found at www.consortium.lgbt/NETFund.

Paul Roberts OBE, Consortium CEO said, “We are delighted to have been awarded this funding. LGBT+ people and communities have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic and we cannot thank NET enough for responding to the evidence and supporting our under-funded sector with these funds. Consortium is passionate about the long-term resilience of our LGBT+ sector and will use this funding as a springboard to raise the profile of diverse LGBT+ issues with other funders, government and external stakeholders.”

Helpline grant recipients, who will work together to share their knowledge, data and intelligence, have commented on the impact this injection of funding will have for LGBT+ in their geographical or thematic areas.

Leni Morris, CEO of Galop and one of the immediate grant recipients providing support to those facing domestic abuse said, “Galop is delighted to be a recipient of these vital funds supporting the LGBT+ community in the UK. Galop helps thousands of LGBT+ victims and survivors of domestic abuse every year via our National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline, which has seen demand increase enormously this year. This funding will support LGBT+ victims and survivors of domestic abuse across the country at this time of crisis.”

Maruska Greenwood, CEO of LGBT Health and Wellbeing in Scotland said, “LGBT+ people are disproportionately affected by Covid-19, as reflected in the dramatic increase in engagements experienced by our LGBT Helpline Scotland. The impact lockdown has had on people’s mental health is now a key feature of many of our calls. This funding will enable us to continue the delivery of our extended helpline opening hours.”

Steve Williamson, Chief Executive of Cara Friend in Northern Ireland comments, “In Northern Ireland we have seen an almost 300% increase in Helpline calls. Cara-Friend’s LGBT Switchboard Helpline is the main point of contact and support for so many of our older LGBT generation here, and especially for those who face rural isolation or who are forced to live hidden lives in difficult home circumstances during the pandemic. It is literally a lifeline. This new network of UK LGBT Helplines is exactly the response we needed to see.”

Paul Roberts added, “We recognise there are parts of our diverse communities that are under-represented, whether geographically or those experiencing cross-cutting issues. With this funding we will also be exploring the impact on Welsh organisations and how best to increase capacity across the country, and have ringfenced 20% of funding for organisations working with intersecting communities—with a particular focus on BAME/PoC communities. This is just a start, more funding will be needed. Consortium will be leading the charge to keep LGBT+ voices on the agenda.”

Notes

The 8 helpline grant recipients are: Switchboard LGBT+, Brighton and Hove Switchboard, Galop, MindOut, The Intercom Trust, LGBT Health and Wellbeing, Cara Friend and LGBT Foundation.

For more information contact Paul Roberts, Consortium CEO on 07532 714722 or 020 7064 6500.

After 17 years at Howe Street in Edinburgh, we are on the move

LGBT Health and Wellbeing is relocating its Edinburgh-based team to Duncan Place, a newly refurbished community space in Leith. Not only will this provide the office space we need, but crucially it will also give us the use of a number of accessible multi-purpose community spaces to deliver our groups and events. We are really excited to be moving to this beautiful historical building, run on a not-for-profit basis for the benefit of the community.

As some of you may recall, LGBT Health and Wellbeing started its life in Howe Street back in 2003, at a time when being located close to the gay commercial scene felt important for an LGBT organisation. We have however over the years started to outgrow this New Town base, and have felt for some time now that it is no longer able to adequately support our efforts to meet the needs of all of our diverse community and the requirements of our organisation.

However without a doubt many of us have really happy memories of ‘The Centre’ in Howe Street. It has over the years not only housed our staff team, but importantly hosted a diverse range of vital support services, fabulous events and valued community groups, and providing a welcoming and affirmative safe haven for many members of our community. We would have liked to celebrate this, and in some way mark the end of our association with Howe Street, but lockdown means our departure will by necessity be somewhat low key, with little opportunity for fond farewells in person.

We are however now definitely ready to relocate and will be looking to bring our usual energy, vibrancy and creativity to our new home in Duncan Place. We are really excited about this new chapter in the organisation’s history and very much look forward to welcoming you to this new Leith Community Hub in due course.

Please note that due to the ongoing situation around COVID-19, we will not be able to open our new space for use until it is safe to do so. We will keep communicating updates about our move to you in our newsletters and social media so follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Our Board of Directors stand with the Black Lives Matter movement. We understand that the death of George Floyd is not an isolated incident. There exists in the U.S. a long history of systemic racism, ethnically charged policing and evidence of police brutality. We are inspired by the global support behind the movement that has emerged in the past few weeks. We know Scotland is not exempt and that we have work to do in eradicating racism while acknowledging our racist history.

The fight against oppression has historically been intersectional, with groups across race, class, gender and sexuality showing up to support one another. Notably, Black trans women and sex workers who initiated the Stonewall riots back in 1969 and paved the way for many of the rights we celebrate today.  The LGBTQ+ community has much to thank Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) for and we take this opportunity during Pride month to say thank you.

The Board has seen LGBT Health and Wellbeing’s staff and community members react quickly to organise and mobilise with events such as Queers in support of Black Lives Matter with the highest engagement seen on one of our Facebook events on this online event page.  As we have seen throughout this Covid19 crisis, it is clear that our community is looking out for each other.

As a Board, we are not representative of the population we represent, and we recognise our responsibilities to do better; including within our upcoming Board recruitment strategy to attempt to expand the diversity of our Board Members. Whilst we are keen to welcome and diversify our Board, we recognise that, in any event, we have an individual and collective responsibility to educate ourselves and facilitate learning within our community. We must be explicit about our stance on anti-racism. This is not the individual responsibility of any one member. Collectively we must use our platform within the LGBT+ community to make structural change. This is a responsibility that White and White-passing people are required to take on and challenge that we, as a Board of Directors, welcome.

LGBT Health and Wellbeing
Board of Trustees

A lot of Pride events over the summer have been postponed or won’t be happening the same way (cheering all together down the street) but we will be doing our best to bring our community together.

This where our annual Pride Breakfast comes in. For those who are familiar with us, you will know that we usually organise a Pride Breakfast in Edinburgh and Glasgow during Pride for folks to meet fellow Priders and find a group to march with. We can’t exactly do this this year but we are bringing our Pride Breakfast online on Zoom. We will release more information shortly so watch this space.

For now we would like to invite you to join our Virtual Pride March, a video of LGBTQ+ people across Scotland celebrating Pride.

How? Film a 10 to 15 seconds video of yourself or something that reminds you of Pride. It could be a message you want to share with your community for Pride or anything that makes you proud. You don’t have to be in the video, make it as safe and comfortable for you. Get your creative hat on!

Here you will find LGBT Health and Wellbeing’s latest updates about our services under the COVID-19 pandemic. You can find the latest official directives on the Scottish Government’s website. 

We are aware that on 18^th April all COVID rules and restrictions were lifted in Scotland.  However, we are also aware that the virus has not gone away. The Scottish Government is now promoting the use of “COVID sense” to inform how best to protect people.  With that in mind, we are continuing to ensure that we take ongoing organisational mitigations and measures.

Our offices and services

Our staff team are continuing to work some of their time from our new offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as from our homes.

We are continuing to plan and deliver a mix of online and in-person events and support.

We uphold a safe space policy for both online and in-person events:

• Read our safe space commitment for online events
• Read our safe space commitment for in-person events

Please continue to primarily connect with our team via email (all our staff can be reached via their work emails: name@lgbthealth.org.uk).

We also have a central phone line 0131 564 3970 which is checked regularly by our Administrator. Do leave a message and this will be directed to the most appropriate person.

Keeping up to date

We would encourage you to browse our entire programme of events on our What’s On calendar and you can also keep up to date with all upcoming events by signing up to our newsletter Village Voices or following us on Facebook and Instagram.

Individual support

You can access a range of one-to-one support with our staff. This can be delivered via Zoom, phone call, email, or in-person at our offices in Glasgow or Edinburgh.

Please note we are currently not offering any drop-in services – this is to help us manage the number of people at our offices. If you contact one of the team below they will be happy to arrange an appointment at a time that suits you.

• Mental health support
  📧 diane@lgbthealth.org.uk (Edinburgh and Lothian)
  📧 louise.nind@lgbthealth.org.uk (Greater Glasgow)
  n
• Trans support
  📧 katrina@lgbthealth.org.uk (Greater Glasgow)
  📧 LTSP@lgbthealth.org.uk (Edinburgh and Lothian)
  n
• Asylum seekers and refugees support
  📧 stella@lgbthealth.org.uk (Greater Glasgow)
  n

Telefriending service for older LGBT+ people (50+)

A free telefriending service for LGBT+ people over 50 in Scotland who are isolated. One of our telefrienders will call you at regular intervals during the lockdown for a social call where you can check-in, catch-up, talk about how you are feeling or share a laugh. To use the service, fill in the referral form and send it back to tele@lgbthealth.org.uk or phone 0131 564 3972 and leave a message so we can get back to you.

LGBT Helpline Scotland

LGBT Helpline Scotland continues to be there to support our community through the pandemic. For anyone who is struggling or would appreciate a friendly ear – please give us a call, email or reach out to us for a chat. We are open every Tuesday & Wednesday (12-9pm) and Thursday & Sunday (1-6pm).

📞 Phone: 0300 123 2523
📧 Email: helpline@lgbthealth.org.uk
💬 Livechat on our website during opening hours