Consortium

for stronger lgbt+ communities

London

Wandsworth LGBTQ+ Forum x Night Time Strategy

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Wandsworth council is teaming up with the Wandsworth LGBTQ+ Forum to host a workshop as part of the development for a Night Time Strategy.

The aim is to create a better night-time experience (between 6pm and 6am) for everyone living, working, and visiting the borough. The strategy is particularly focused on supporting night time workers and people who may feel more at risk out and about after dark.

We will therefore use the workshop session to develop a set of LGBTQ+ inclusive policies that look at how the council can better support the community at night.

Recommendations will look at how the council can support local businesses, ensure our town centres are vibrant and safe and look at the design of our public spaces.

As we all know, Wandsworth unfortunately has no dedicated LGBTQ+ spaces. A Night Time Strategy recommendation, highly endorsed by the Forum, will be the creation of a space for the community in the borough. But we also want to better understand the vast experiences of Wandsworth at night and explore new ideas, like ways to connect more closely with neighbouring Lambeth.

For this reason, you are invited to the workshop on Tuesday 1st of November, from 6.30 to 8.30 pm at the Battersea Art Centre. The event is free, and snacks and drinks will be provided. This will be the perfect arena to highlight how does a safe night in Wandsworth looks like for you. This will also be the perfect opportunity for us, the new Forum members, to say hello to all our new and not-so-new friends. There will also be a chance for networking drinks at the end of the event.

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions and if you are thinking of coming, make sure to fill in the Eventbrite registration form. This is only help us understand the expected turnout.

You can find out more about the Night Time Strategy and leave your comments on our interactive map here: https://ntswandsworth.commonplace.is/

We look forward to seeing you there.

Deconstructing Campness

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The Quest Mosaic are facilitated gatherings for Black, Asian and Other Racialised Minority gay, bi & queer men coming together to connect, share experiences and build community.

Each session has a different theme as the focal point, with opportunities for attendees to participate in small breakout groups to muse, reflect and respond to some exploratory questions.

Each gathering is self-contained, so attendees don’t need to have attended previous sessions.

The sessions are facilitated by Ade Adeniji & Sonny Thaker.

The theme for 13 August 2022 ‘Deconstructing Campness’.

You need to register on Zoom to confirm attendance, you can do so here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0vc-mhqDgtEt0Hevh6pXtszobht5fplREp

Unicorns Netball Club Pride Month training session

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Join Unicorns Netball Club for our first annual Pride Month special training session on the roof of Decathlon at Surrey Quays, in aid of The Outside Project.

All our sessions are open to people of all abilities and genders, so whether you’ve always wanted to try netball for the first time in a safe, inclusive and non-intimidating environment, or you’re more experienced and want to play it with like minded people, we’re the club for you.

We’re excited to announce that ex-England International Netball player Kim Hasted will be our coach for this session, and we have lots of activities planned, including a social in a nearby LGBTQ+ friendly bar.

Queer Tour of East London

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Get outside and celebrate Pride with this creative and life-affirming interactive walking tour through East London to shine a light on London’s rich LGBTQI history.

Saturday 26th June
11am – 12.30pm
Meeting Point: Whitechapel Gallery

This event is organised by Tower Hamlets LGBT+ Community Forum in collaboration with ELOP and Queer Tours of London.
For more information or to book your place email [email protected]

Summer Picnic with SuttonLGBTQ+ Forum

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Join us to celebrate Summer after lockdown with a fun fab picnic at Crystal Palace Park.

Within government lockdown rules we will be hosting a picnic for up to 30 people at the wonderful Crystal Palace Park on the 18th July from 12.30 noon till around 4 pm (weather permitting).

This event is open to all the LGBTQ+ community, friends, family and allies.

To get more information please send us an email at [email protected]

We look forward to seeing you there.

Stronger Together at Pride in London

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Shaan Knan, Consortium’s trans-specific worker, reports back from Pride in London.

 

Fifty years on from the Stonewall uprising in New York, up to 1.5 million people took to the streets for London Pride march last Saturday.

I was delighted to march alongside many of our Consortium members including Stonewall, Mermaids and Sparkle (see picture).

A year on from an incident that saw 2018’s Pride in London parade derailed by anti-trans protests, it felt empowering marching as part of the ‘Together in Pride’ coalition alongside other groups reflecting the diversity of the LGBT+ community.

In fact, trans people were definitley at the front of the parade this year, with trans/non-binary people and their allies carrying a huge banner #LwiththeT right behind London Mayor Sadiq Khan. A Twitter post says: We came, we lead, we drowned out hate. This is what solidarity looks like! #LwiththeT

The most powerful moment for me personally was seeing the joy on the faces of the many trans and non-binary young people and children on the Mermaids bus (see picture), just behind our marching group. They were cheered on by the colourful crowds from the side of the parade, and even some celebrities such as girl band Little Mix showed up expressing their support as trans allies.

This resonates strongly with our Trans Network’s mission ‘to be a unified voice to ensure external stakeholders listen to the needs of trans communities.’

I know we still have a long way to go, but the message is out there: Together we are Stronger.

Image credit (Shaan at march): Brandon Yeadon.