London’s largest independent grant giver has awarded three charities a total of almost £700,000 to support the capital’s LGBT sector.

The funding comes as City Bridge Trust, the City of London Corporation’s charitable funder, responded to findings of a recent report on LGBT services which showed a clear need for funding for specific support services in London.

City Bridge Trust has given:

- £281,000 to the GMI Partnership (charities Positive East, Metro and Spectra) to expand and diversify its work supporting the LGBT community in London, including looking at different approaches to HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health.

- £217,000 to the LGBT Consortium to create and manage an online directory of services in London and to give general support to the LGBT third sector to make it easier for people from the LGBT community to access support. The directory will also be used to highlight current gaps in service provision.

- £165,000 to Opening Doors London for a programme to develop the quality of services provided to older LGBT Londoners by voluntary and statutory organisations. The project will inform and educate commissioners and service providers about the specific needs of the LGBT older community, how to ensure these needs are met and that discrimination is minimised.

The funding comes after a Trust For London report launched in August 2016 highlighted the serious challenges faced by specialist service providers to be able to meet the needs of LGBT Londoners, in a time of rising demand and diminishing resources.

The report found that LGBT service provision is largely underfunded or unavailable within many areas of London, leaving many members of the community unable to access LGBT specific services nearby.

Alison Gowman, Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s City Bridge Trust committee, said:

“These grants will make a significant and positive difference to the LGBT community in London, both on an individual and organisational level.

“It is clear there is a lack of funding available for these charities and service providers are facing real challenges to meet the rising demands. We will do all we can to support them, the LGBT community are entitled to the same support and provisions as everyone else.

“City Bridge Trust is committed to tackling disadvantage across the capital and making London a fairer and better place to live.”

Paul Roberts OBE, Chief Executive of LGBT Consortium added:

“We are passionate about promoting a healthy, resilient and sustainable LGBT sector in London and this project will allow us to shine the light on the diversity of LGBT services already available and to uncover where there are big gaps in provision.

“We will be working with LGBT services and organisations across all boroughs to explore new ways of filling the gaps, promoting the important part LGBT specific services play in reducing inequality and supporting new collaborative opportunities.

“All this will be brought together through a new and exciting interactive online site, designed with funders, commissioners and LGBT people all in mind.”

Alice Wallace, Director of Opening Doors London, said:

“Securing funding for work with older LGBT communities is challenging as there are few charitable trusts that prioritise support in this area.

“This funding will enable us to work with a range of health and social care organisations to help them better understand the needs and experience of older LGBT people, particularly in London – and to design and deliver services which truly meet their needs.”

Mark Santos, of the GMI Partnership, added:

‘We are delighted that City Bridge Trust has recognised the work of the GMI Partnership and more importantly the diverse needs within the wider London LGBTQ community with this funding.

“This is a real opportunity for the Partnership to build on our 10 years of successfully working together to support the current and future sexual and reproductive health needs of LGBTQ communities in London, and to work with others to address the wider determinants of health.”

City Bridge Trust is London’s largest independent grant giver, making grants of £20 million a year to tackle disadvantage across the capital. The Trust has awarded around 7,600 grants totalling over £360 million since it first began in 1995. It helps achieve the Corporation’s aim of changing the lives of hundreds of thousands of Londoners.

ENDS

Media Enquiries

Kristina Drake

Media Officer, City of London Corporation

Kristina.Drake@cityoflondon.gov.uk

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