The LGBT Foundation Community Safety team will be delivering some training to give people the tools if they, or someone they know, become a victim of hate crime. This training has been produced in association with Manchester City Council, and partner organisations including Manchester Pride and Sparkle.

Together we will talk through definitions and examples of hate crime and hate incidents, the various ways of reporting hate crime, as well as what to do if you witness one. The training will be interactive, and will start at 6.30pm, with time for refreshments and networking before and after.

We want to make these events as inclusive as possible and if you have any questions or access requirements please e-mail communitysafety@lgbt.foundation

Immerse yourself in LGBTQ+ history at our pop-up exhibition to mark the start of Manchester Pride 2024, with a display of archive items which reflect the 2024 parade theme ‘A Hive of Progress’. Items on show will be from LGBT Foundation’s extensive archive collection, which illustrate the histories of LGBTQ+ communities in the region and beyond.

No booking needed, just come along to the library between 11am-1pm. You can find us by the Glass Lifts on the Ground Floor.

This event has been produced by LGBT Foundation’s Pride in Ageing Programme. 

For any questions about this event please email prideinageing@lgbt.foundation. No ticket required.

Join us on Wednesday 13th November from 12 pm as we walk through the gorgeous Heaton Park.

Pop along for some fresh air and a chat. Don’t worry about the pace you walk at, it’s more about being out in nature together.

In a world that often tries to erase or marginalise our identities, nurturing queer joy becomes an act of resistance and self-care.  

So, let’s hold onto our joy fiercely and share it with one another by create spaces where all queer voices can thrive.

We’re bringing together some fantastic headliners to entertain you and are inviting YOU to perform in one our open mic night slots. We’re so excited to see all the amazing Sapphic talent Greater Manchester has to offer from poetry, to comedy, and music! After these amazing performances, stick around for some opportunities to socialise and meet some people as Manchester Pride weekend begins. 

Headliners for this edition of Sapphic Showcase are:

UNTITLED WOMAN started making music just a few years ago. Her background is in film and performance. Her songstry brings elements of electronic, processed guitar and poetic vocals and has been described as a mixture of hypnotic, beautiful and genre defying darkness. In this set, she tells stories of love: the good, the bad, the ugly and everything inbetween. Prepare to be transported… “Hypnotically dark… a powerful, jazzy-inflected voice… a little like Annette Peacock with hints of Bowie’s Jacques Brel experiments when he re-worked, ‘Amsterdam’. Resilient…slightly odd-ball…austere, but extremely climatic and a bit out-of-worldly…” (International Times)

CARSON WOLFE (they/she) is a Mancunian poet and winner of New Writing North’s Debut Poetry Prize (2023). Their work has appeared with Rattle, The Rumpus, The Common, and The North, amongst many others. They were longlisted in The National Poetry Competition (2023) and have received awards from The Aurora Poetry Prize, The Edward Thomas Fellowship and Button Poetry. They are an MFA student of Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University and currently serve as a teaching assistant on the online writing course Poems That Don’t Suck. Carson lives in Manchester with her wife and three daughters. You can find them at www.carsonwolfe.co.uk.

Due to unforeseen circumstances Lauren Temple is now unable to perform.

Applications for open mic slots are now closed. Our event will be LGBTQ women centred but our audience is open to all. Anyone attending will be expected to follow our Safer Spaces Policy.

This event is taking place at HOME Manchester, in their amazing Event Space on the second floor. There are three levels to the building, including the ground floor and these are all accessible via a lift. There are accessible toilets on all levels and Gender Neutral Toilets are located on the Ground Floor.

Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. The cabaret and open mic will finish at 9.30pm, including interval. You are then invited to stay and socialise!

This is an event organised by LGBT Foundation. This event is for those aged 18+ only. Please direct any questions or access needs to women@lgbt.foundation.

Are you looking for deeper connections in your life but not sure where to begin? We’ve got you!

You are warmly invited to our three-part talk series where we explore what it means to create deep connections in our life. We explore useful tools and tips that support you in demystifying your relationship to yourself, to others and to the world around you through nervous system regulation, communication exercises and embodiment practices. Come along to one, two, or all three of these FREE talks and discover more about yourself. 

Talk 3 – Connection to community and our world

Only one last chance to get involved with ‘The Connection Series’ – a collection of interactive talks exploring your relationship with self, others and the community, for LGBTQ+ adults. Don’t miss out on this final talk from our amazing facilitators Aj and Ria! No problem if you haven’t come to the previous talks – get involved in our final talk ‘Connection to Community and the World We Live In’

What would it mean to find your community or ‘tribe’? How would this support you in navigating your place in the world? Learn practical and transformative practices that facilitate a deeper connection to both your immediate community and the larger world around you.

The 2024 edition promises to be an unforgettable, identity-affirming event, brimming with an array of joy-inducing workshops, enchanting performances, and engaging activities.

Special highlights for 2024 include:

• Friday, March 8th: Sapphic Showcase – Immerse yourself in a night dedicated to celebrating the extraordinary talents of queer women through a special showcase at HOME, Manchester.
• Saturday, March 9th: Creative Workshops at LGBT Foundation’s Community Café – Dive into creative workshops including an upcycling coin pouch workshop and lino-print workshop, as well as community cafe space.
• Sunday, March 10th: Wellbeing Workshops at LGBT Foundation’s Community Café – Indulge in enriching well-being workshops including a Women’s Circle and sexual health workshop, plus we’ll end the weekend with a special film screening.
  

Jax Effiong (She/Her), Chair of LGBT Foundation’s Board of Trustees said: “Sugar and Spice is more than just an annual event; it’s a testament to the strength and resilience of queer women. For 18 years, this festival has been a powerful showcase of their diverse voices and experiences here in Manchester. It is without a doubt one of my favourite moments of the year; I hope you’ll join us in celebrating all the fabulous women in our lives and revel in the joy of being queer!”

Ellie White (She/Her), Community Engagement Coordinator for LGBT Foundation, said: “Sugar and Spice is a special celebration that perfectly fits with Women’s History Month, International Women’s Week, International Women’s Day, and LBT+ Women’s Health Week. Join us in this fantastic celebration, where we give space to LGBTQ+ women to celebrate themselves and each other in their wonderfully unique experiences, plus learn some new skills from each other. LGBTQ+ women’s spaces are so important for us as individuals and as communities to uplift each other and have some fun. It’s a joyous event filled with diversity, inclusivity, and empowerment. Be part of this incredible space created just for LGBTQ+ women!”

All Sugar and Spice events are free, and event registration will go live soon at lgbt.foundation.

Stay in the loop with the latest updates about Sugar and Spice by following LGBT Foundation’s social media channels, @lgbtfdn.

LGBT Foundation welcomes organisations and businesses to collaborate in supporting various events and activities, such as Sugar and Spice, and the charity’s life-saving health and wellbeing services. For details on partnership opportunities, kindly contact charity@lgbt.foundation.

LGBT Foundation is a leading charity for LGBTQ+ health and well-being, providing support, education, and resources to empower individuals within the community. Established in 1975, and working all over the UK, LGBT Foundation has been at the forefront of positive change, fostering a more inclusive society through various initiatives, events, and support services that give a lifeline to those in need while on their journey towards achieving their aspirations.

Get your Bingo belters ready, it’s time to have some fun. This month, we’re hosting a very special bingo edition of our sober social.

Come along and share some good times and great laughs with your queer peers!

We can’t wait to see you there – no need to book just come along!

Are you looking for deeper connections in your life but not sure where to begin? We’ve got you!

You are warmly invited to our three-part talk series where we explore what it means to create deep connections in our life. We explore useful tools and tips that support you in demystifying your relationship to yourself, to others and to the world around you through nervous system regulation, communication exercises and embodiment practices. Come along to one, two, or all three of these FREE talks and discover more about yourself. 

Talk 2 – Connection to others

Our amazing series of interactive talks – ‘The Connection Series’ – continues with its second session all about your connection to others

The wonderful Ria and Aj will explore the intricate web of relationships that shape our lives. Through this talk you can discover how to meet your needs authentically with family, friends, partners, and colleagues and explore the art of creating and maintaining connections while staying true to yourself.

By the end of this session, you’ll leave with a practical toolkit to create juicy connections with those around you.

Didn’t make it to the first talk? No problem! You are more than welcome to come along to this second talk which promises to be amazingly insightful! 

Here at LGBT Foundation, we love celebrating Pride and we want to celebrate with you! We know that accessing LGBTQ+ spaces can sometimes be a bit daunting, especially if you’ve never been to one before. That’s why we’re bringing together LGBTQ+ people who might never have been to a Pride event before or who might not feel confident coming to LGBTQ+ events. With relaxed socialising and games, you’ll have a fun evening getting to know people and might come away with some people to spend Manchester Pride with!

Arrival from 7pm, with invitations to join ‘getting to know you’ games from 7.45pm

This event is for LGBTQ+ people aged 18+. It is centred around LGBTQ+ people who haven’t accessed LGBTQ+ spaces before or don’t feel confident accessing them, but is open to all LGBTQ+ people.

We expect anyone attending to agree to our Safer Spaces Policy.

This is a sober event; soft drinks and snacks will be provided.

This event is taking place at Whitworth Locke, in their co-working space. The venue is wheelchair accessible, and there are accessible and gender neutral toilets on site.

Any questions or access requirements, please email community@lgbt.foundation

Greater Manchester has so many amazing museums and we want to explore them with you! Come join us to have a ‘mooch’ round a museum with other LGBTQ+ people.

A mooch is a gentle wander – we want to go at our own pace and spend time looking at the exhibits we enjoy. We will be self guided, and even have some little games/things to look out for so we can have the most fun possible! This will also be a great chance to meet people and find some common interests.

In February we will be visiting Manchester Museum, Oxford Rd, M13 9PL.

This event is for LGBTQ+ people over the age of 18. Any questions or access requirements, please email community@lgbt.foundation