The Diversity Trust launches new project to develop and strengthen LGBTQ+ networks

The Diversity Trust has recently launched a new five-year project which has been funded by

National Lottery Community Fund. The aim of this project is to influence social change to

create a fairer and safer society for LGBTQ+ people across the South West.

To do this, the Diversity Trust aims to develop and strengthen LGBTQ+ networks and

organisations, increase voice and influence of local LGBTQ+ people, create meaningful

volunteering opportunities and increase offers of a safe community.

The first step of this project is to re-establish a connection to the LGBTQ+ Network across

the B&NES area, by getting professionals who can influence decision making together and

start the conversation.

By building this network, the aim will be to listen to people who identify as LGBTQ+ and

feed this information back into local government, health services, criminal justice and much

to identify gaps in how LGBTQ+ people access services and to provide them with the tools

to thrive in their communities.

Through this network we hope to arrange community-based events where LGTBQ+ people

can hear firsthand from different professionals and how they can be supported, as well as

using these events to identify barriers and come up with solutions to breaking them down.

The Diversity Trust want to ensure that they are listening to what the community is telling us and feed that learning back to funders to demonstrate the impact we are making to people’s lives.

The Diversity Trust has had success in establishing these types of networks in both Somerset

and South Gloucestershire, and with the support of the community is hoping a similar

project will be able to be successful in B&NES.

The Diversity Trust have already established some interest in this project from organisations in the area, but they would like to hear from more and would like to hear from LGBTQ+ people across the region.

For more information or to become involved in the network please contact our LGBTQ+

Voices & Representations Coordinator Tim Birkbeck (They / Them).

You can reach them by e-mailing: Tim.Birkbeck@diversitytrust.org.uk

The Diversity Trust would also like to extend a huge thank you to the National Lottery, without their support this project would not be possible.