Help support isolated LGBTQ people this Christmas

Christmas can be a very difficult time for many LGBTQ+ people, it is traditionally a very heteronormative, festival with an emphasis on family. For many LGBTQ+ people family has a different meaning often referring to “family of choice” this is often due to necessity as many still face discrimination, rejection, and estrangement from their biological families and turn to their community for a sense of inclusion and belonging.

Since opening in 2013 Birmingham LGBT has held a party on Christmas day so members of the LGBTQ+ do not have to spend Christmas day alone. We have been unable to do this for the past couple of years due to COVID-19 but this year we will be opening our doors again and holding a Christmas day party.

As a charity we are aware that many of our service users have been affected by the cost of living crisis, with some people having to choose between heating and eating. From January we will be offering a warm space in our café a couple of times a week. We’re hoping to provide people with blankets, hot water bottles, blanket hoodies and hot drinks.

To do this, we need your help and support to cover the costs of Christmas gifts, food and transport for our Christmas party. Your donations will also help us provide blankets, flasks and hot water bottles to help keep people warm during the cost of living crisis.

If you’re able, please donate and let members of the LGBTQ+ community know that someone is thinking of them this Christmas.