QWB celebrates 50 years of London Friend with a special party on 19th January, 7 – 9:30pm, in Club Soda’s Alcohol-Free Off-Licence on Great Portland Street.

We will have a wonderful evening of inspirational guest speakers, compered by Scott from Proud and Sober, amazing alcohol-free cocktails by Anita from Lyre’s, and the legendary Queers Without Beers pop-up bar!

The shop will be open from 6pm for you to come in and sample some of the amazing drinks we’re stocking in the Offy (we have 81 brands and 271 alcohol free products!) and will also be a 10%  discount for anything people want to buy from the shop all evening. The event proper will start at 7pm. Tickets are available below, and we have two options – one to make a £3 donation, and one to donate later. Tickets are so we can keep a track of numbers, but you can also come on the day without booking a ticket.

Speakers:
Scott Pearson, Proud and Sober
After embarking on his own journey to give up alcohol, Scott (he/him) set his sights on creating Proud and Sober, a social and online platform that encourages open dialogue about booze and what it means to be alcohol-free.

Laura Willoughby MBE, Club Soda
Laura (she/her) is one of the co-founders of Join Club Soda, the world’s first mindful drinking movement, helping people change their drinking whether they want to cut down, stop for a bit, quit – or even stick.

Monty Montcrieff MBE, London Friend
Monty (he/him) joined London Friend in 2011, and was appointed Chief Executive in 2012. He has been working and volunteering with LGBT organisations for over 20 years, starting as a helpline volunteer and subsequently a trustee with Switchboard in 1996. In 2001 he joined Turning Point to develop their LGBT drug and alcohol work, and the following year established Antidote, the UK’s only fully LGBT run specialist drug and alcohol service, which is now managed by London Friend.

Dani St James, Not a Phase
Dani St James (she/her) is the co-founder of Not A Phase, a charity set up to help trans people across the UK, she is proudly Welsh but based in Central London. Dani is 2 year sober and is loving every bloody minute of it.

Tom Ana, LGBT Community Centre
Tom Ana (they/them) is the Centre’s Assistant Manager. Before joining the Community Centre, they worked with a number of grassroots LGBTQ campaigns, as well as for larger groups such as the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. They have a background in support work, having previously worked in homelessness and with children in care.