Manchester-based organisation LGBT Foundation do life-changing work to help those who reach out
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY PP
For a number of groups within the LGBTQIA community, winter can often be the hardest time of year. Older LGBTQIA people struggle with isolation, heating, and a lack of community. For those without homes, it can pose a threat to their health and safety. For people without a support network, it can lead to intense loneliness and exacerbate mental health struggles.
It’s precisely for these reasons that we need to support organisations like LGBT Foundation through donations. The Manchester-based charity is aiming to address all these challenges through its dedicated team who run its life-changing programmes.
Lawrie Roberts, LGBT Foundation Pride In Ageing Manager, told DIVA: “Isolation is the number one issue for older LGBTQIA people in winter. One in five of the calls to our helpline are from people over 50, and the top issue they want to talk about is isolation and how to alleviate that. They call the helplines just to talk to someone.”
“It’s an issue which affects all older people, but for LGBTQIA people they’re less likely to have children and have intergenerational family networks,” he continued. “Often they have a chosen family of peers around the same age as them, and a lot of people struggle in winter to get out and about. Those visits which might happen easily over summer might be less likely to happen over winter months.”
Whether it be their Pride In Ageing programme which helps tackle loneliness in older LGBTQIA people to their domestic abuse support services, LGBT Foundation are here to save lives this winter. All of these services are free to access for LGBTQIA people who use them, which is why donations are more important than ever.
You can also volunteer with LGBT Foundation, helping to uplift LGBTQIA people who need support.
If you’re feeling in need of some festive, community spirit this winter, why don’t you head to LGBT Foundation’s carol service on 16 December? You can find out more here.
You can find out more about how you can donate at: lgbt.foundation/donate/
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