Thank you to the people who got in touch to say they loved last month's new stripped back look of our newsletter. We are going to stick with this new format going forward but will be guided by any feedback we get from our readers as we go on month to month.
If you have any other suggestions for what we include in our newsletter or if there are things you are missing from the previous newsletter format you want to see included again then please get in touch with your suggestions and feedback by emailing: info@lgbtplus.org.uk
It's February, so that means it's LGBT History Month!
LGBT History Month takes place in February every year and gives us an opportunity to celebrate LGBT culture and reflect on LGBT history. LGBT History Month is for everyone; community groups, organisations, individuals, activists, and service providers. LGBT History Month is a great opportunity for local authorities, businesses and third sector organisations to show their support for LGBT people.
Whether you identify as part of the LGBTQ community or not, we hope you have a fabulous February with LGBT History Month and that you get involved in some of the events to celebrate it with us.
You can find any of our regional events by following this link to our events page.
In last month's newsletter we told you how we were reviewing how we do things here at LGBT PLUS, and ensuring that we are doing the best we can to serve our members,volunteers, and all our community. We set ourselves the New Year resolution "to be better human beings and influence positive change in the community we live in."
To continue with this thought, in particularly how we can positively influence those around us, we are reviewing and redesigning our LGBT awareness training. While doing this we are paying close attention to the messages we send out to others and are looking to take inspiration from some great people.
We have been following the recent BBC 2 TV special "The Greatest Person of the 20th Century" which celebrates the achievements of some of the greatest figures of the 20th century from the following categories:- Leaders, Explorers, Scientists, Entertainers, Activists, Sports Stars, and
Artists & Writers.
Giving that it is LGBT history month we thought we would highlight that Alan Turing has been crowned the greatest person of the 20th Century by BBC viewers. The father of computing beat finalists including Nelson Mandela, David Bowie and Muhammad Ali during the live finale of BBC Two’s Icons: The Greatest Person Of The 20th Century.
The wartime code-breaker was championed by Chris Packham during the show, with Packham saying: ‘Alan Turing’s genius brought Britain back from the brink during WWII. While he was punished for being different, his work celebrated diversity. Under the circumstances, that makes him truly iconic.’ Turing and his team at Bletchley Park are credited with helping end the war after creating a machine which broke the Nazi Enigma codes during WW2.
He was appointed an OBE in 1946 for his services during the war, but six years later, he was prosecuted for homosexual acts, which were a criminal offence in the UK. Turing accepted chemical castration as an alternative to prison time, but two years later, in 1954, he took his own life at the age of 41.
In 2009, then Prime Minister Gordon Brown made an official public apology to Turing on behalf of the British government, while he was granted a posthumous pardon by the Queen in 2009. And in 2017, a law that retroactively pardoned all men cautioned or convicted for homosexual acts under historical legislation was named in his honour. Turing was portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch in the 2014 film The Imitation Game.
DON’T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER
EVERYONE HAS A STORY TO SHARE
Human library is an idea where real people are on time limit loan to share their stories. The informal yet structured approach builds a positive framework for good conversations.
LGBT Plus and partners are inviting people to take part in their first ever Human Library as part of LGBT History month taking place in The Oven in Dumfries town centre. The Library will be open for one hour on Saturday 23rd February from 2pm to 3pm and the same on Sunday 24th February. Stories will be shared in pairs and Human ‘books’ will be ‘loaned’ on a rotation of ten minutes. This event’s theme is ‘Coming Out’.
If you have a coming out story or were affected by your friend or families coming out and would like to share your story for ten minutes to an interested individual please let us know so we can prepare enough comfy spaces and friendly faces.
D&G LGBT PLUS ANNUAL AWARDS EVENT
Come and join in on our celebrations at our inaugural "Celebration and Awards Event" on Saturday 16th February 12pm - 4pm at the Market Inn Hotel in Castle Douglas. There will be lots of friendly faces and lots to do including a raffle. And we will have the first ever D&G LGBT PLUS Volunteer awards to be handed out.
For more information follow this link to ourEvents pageor check out our Facebook.
New Satellite Office Pilot
Following on from last months news that we are going to trial a new service following feedback from our members and service users; we can now announce that we are piloting our new monthly Satellite Office. Our complete staff team will be hitting our regions roads to deliver our Dumfries service to a locality near you each month.
Our first stop will be:-
Castle Douglas Community Centre
on Thursday 14th February
from 11am - 3pm
our 2nd Satellite Office will be:-
Stranraer on Thursday 21st March (time and venue to be confirmed)
Come along and join us for group discussions, group activities, and 1:1 support sessions available to from our support staff.
If you have any questions about this event or wish to book a support appointment for this day then please email: info@lgbtplus.org.uk
This month we have been showing ourselves off and have been filmed by ITV for its programme "Border Life". Lori Carnochan and her crew spent the day with some of our staff and volunteers on one of monthly walking activities. They spent the time taking in the views, speaking to our volunteers about what they get from our service, and then finished it off with another of our regular activities....a group lunch. Keep an eye out on TV to hear what our volunteers have been saying and what you can expect from one of our walks or lunches if you or your friends wanted to join us some time.
Dumfries and Galloway LGBT PLUS are excited to be working with UWS students to collect stories from the LGBT community for the creation of a training resource.
We are keen to focus on stories concerning discrimination, hate crime or negative experiences and what helped you to recover.
Dean, Sarah, and Ruth, are undertaking a 30 day placement with LGBT PLUS as part of their degree program studying Social Work at the University of the West of Scotland.
"We are really enjoying the opportunity to observe the day to day activities within the service, and have agreed with staff to create a training video whilst we are here to count towards our University qualification and to be used in-service for training purposes."
If you are interested, please complete the quick and confidential survey (link below) or contact us if you wish to tell your story in another way which will also protect your identity.
We haven't advertised it yet this year but we still offer a range of different support services to our community.
Dumfries & Galloway LGBT Plus provides tailored support and counselling for the LGBTQIA community, their families, and carers.
LGBT Plus offer a range of options that can help individuals build strengths, tackle issues, and make changes to their life so that they can be the person they want to be.
Whether it’s identity expression, help with getting into enjoyable activities, or training to learn new skills, LGBT Plus has an amazing team and a successful history of helping people, groups and services to achieve their goals.
LGBT Plus offer a safe and confidential service and does not have any waiting lists as this time.
You can self-refer for support by phone or email:
01387 248556
support@lgbtplus.org.uk
Or enquire about training, events and the volunteer program at:
info@lgbtplus.org.uk
National LGBT Events 2019
1 - 28 Feb LGBT History Month
17 May IDAHO - International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
24 May Pansexual and Panromantic Awareness and Visibility Day
