across rainbows presents rainbowsTALK.

Storytelling connects people and communities.

rainbowsTALK will hopefully inspire you with stories told from the heart. Stories that may captivate, provoke or make you think a little differently.

Our four very different speakers range from a a gay priest in training to a drag queen as well as a speaker who has experienced HIV and one who has a late coming out story.

Be part of the conversation.

We are doing everything possible to ensure that the event follows Government and the Church’s COVID-19 guidelines regarding social distance, hand washing and masks .

Following the Church’s COVID-19 guidelines, no refreshments can be served. Please bring your own water bottle.

We ask you to please be respectful of these guidelines and we will have staff on hand to ensure that everyone is safe.

Help us make this a great evening so next time we won’t have to do it online.

Shaan Knan, Consortium’s trans-specific worker, reports back from Trans Pride Brighton

Spending a sunny day at the 7th Trans Pride in Brighton last Saturday was an absolute joy.

It was an amazing turnout for #TransPrideBrighton. According to the organisers, around eight thousand people took to the streets of to celebrate Trans Pride – two thousand more than was anticipated.

This year’s mile-long parade kicked off at the Marlborough Pub and Theatre in Prince’s Street,and finished at Brunswick Square Gardens in Hove where we could enjoy community and food stalls, a stage featuring trans bands, musicians and spoken word artists as well as sports in the park programme.

The slogan for this year’s festival was “putting the T first” – a reference to the LGBT acronym in which Trans appears near the end.

I felt the huge amount of love and pride all around, and I was also very pleased to see so many visible allies from all walks of life.

Armed with a brand new set of Trans Organisations Network business cards and a Consortium staff member rainbow lanyard, I meandered from one stall to the other, chatting with members old and new about – of course – all things trans. I was keen to keep everyone up to date with Consortium and TON activities, including current campaigns such as ‘Ask your MP/MSP to support GRA reform’ and our ongoing London strategic roundtables and mapping exercises.

It was inspiring to see so many new local initiatives springing up such as a support group in Ashford, and I was happy to tell them about the many benefits of a Consortium/TON membership.

This year, Northern Ireland held its first ever Trans Pride, and London will hold a Trans + Intersex Pride in September.

It gives me hope for a better future for trans communities in the UK.