You can help create a permanent space for South Yorkshire’s LGBT+ communities
Sheffield-based charity LGBT Sheffield is hoping to win £49,500 in funding from the National Lottery as part of this year's People's Projects, and it needs your vote to be able to set up a vital community centre and helpline!
LGBT Sheffield OUT and ABOUT https://t.co/Auc2T0R87r via @YouTube
— LGBT Sheffield (@LGBTSheffield) April 12, 2018
LGBT Sheffield is one of five charities in the region in the running for a share of up to £150,000 in funding.
In each region, the three good causes with the most public votes will receive grants of up to £50,000 each. This will help them to continue their work to improve local people's lives. Across the UK, this means that a life-changing total of three million pounds is up for grabs!
On Wednesday 18 April 2018, LGBT Sheffield's Out and About project – their bid to set up an LGBT+ centre and helpline – will be shown on Calendar at 6pm.
To be in with a chance of winning, LGBT Sheffield is calling on viewers to support its bid. Voting for all the shortlisted projects across the UK opens on 16 April at thepeoplesprojects.org.uk.​
LGBT Sheffield works with volunteers to bring together the LGBT+ community in the Sheffield area and provides a hub for community groups, services and agencies working with LGBT+ people in and around Sheffield. If successful, LGBT Sheffield will use the grant money to set up an LGBT+ centre and helpline.
The centre would be used for social and educational activities such as the meetings of LGBT+ community groups and training sessions for organisations that work with the LGBT+ community, as well as a drop-in centre for anyone in the city who is part of, or connected with, the LGBT+community.
Having a permanent home would allow LGBT Sheffield to combat loneliness and isolation in LGBT+ people of all ages, and to foster understanding in the wider community in and around our city.
If you look at the facts and figures about living in Britain as an LGBT+ person, the work LGBT Sheffield hopes to do with a permanent centre and helpline is vital.
"Our project is really important for LGBT+ people in our region", Chair of LGBT Sheffield, Kath Housley, told DIVA.
"Bars and clubs are great, but if people don't go to them they often don't have contact with the LGBT+ community at all, particularly younger and older people.
"We want to make sure they don't feel lonely and isolated or get left behind, it really matters to reach out to people of all ages.
"We want to help and support as many people across South Yorkshire as we can."
Having a community centre and helpline in the region would allow LGBT Sheffield to reach out to more people across South Yorkshire, where – at present – you'd have to travel to Manchester, Huddersfield, Nottingham or Derby to find such support.
There's never been anything like it before in Sheffield or anywhere else in South Yorkshire – let's change that! 🗳ï¸
The People's Projects is live now with voting running between 16 and 30 April. Vote for LGBT Sheffield at thepeoplesprojects.org.uk
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