Switchboard - National LGBTQ+ Support Line

After reaching the incredible milestone of turning 50 in 2024, Switchboard is excited to share our decades of experience and knowledge with organisations to help build a society where everyone can feel heard and thrive! Since 1974, we have handled millions of conversations with people across the UK, talking about almost every topic imaginable. To facilitate these conversations we have honed our training around active listening, creating a safe space and providing tangible skills to support people from many different backgrounds and experiences. We are very excited to share a brand new suite of sessions with you to help your organisations feel more empowered to support one another. Flip through the brochure to see the range of available talks and training offerings. We would love to share our tried and tested knowledge with you and your team! Interested? Fill out the interest form here: https://buff.ly/4eozKtl

Last Friday evening we had our end-of-summer (and let me tell you, the weather that day felt more like midwinter!) social for our volunteers. It was a fabulous evening, made possible by our friends BT Group who hosted us at their offices in the City. I'd like to say a personal thank you to Fiona Vines, Mark Armario and Jak Matthews for their continued support of our partnership, and I am excited for the next stage as we work more closely on a technical level. It takes a team to make events like this come together, and special thanks to Switchboard staff members, Henry, Natasha and Mark for their hard work and thought that went into making the evening such fun. Additionally, we made a conscious choice to try and bring the entertainment more in-house and also to give Drag Queens a night off, so it was extra special to have two female comedians, one of whom was a Switchboard Volunteer who has recently performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, Leigh you are fantastic! Volunteering for Switchboard is a real commitment, it makes the promise to show up for our community and to hold space for those who often have no one to hear them. As the summer of our 50th year ends, I can't help but reflect on what a special organisation Switchboard is. We do have a staff team now, something they didn't have in 1974, but volunteers remain the heart of the organisation, and it was such a treat to have around 100 volunteers in attendance, and wonderfully hosted by BT. I said a few words at the start of the evening and we paused to remember John Lindsey, one of the founding volunteers of Switchboard who recently passed away. Back in March when we celebrated 50 years of Switchboard at the BT Tower, I'd been in touch with John in the hope he would attend the celebrations, thankfully his health that day was good enough for him to attend and I'll probably cherish that memory above all others of that evening. A core belief of John's as a librarian was in the power of information, and the importance of getting that to people. So looking out at 100 volunteers carrying that belief to the future was a real privilege. Rest in Power, John.

Join us to make history with the first-ever Pride Swim Big Dip at Brighton beach on Saturday 26th October at 2pm next to Sealanes. 🌊 The Big Dip, organised by Pride Swim and sponsored by our friends at Speedouk will be opened by Olympic Swimmer and LGBTQIA+ activist Michael Gunning. There will also be pre and post-swim activities, including breathwork sessions, a pop-up sauna and a post-event celebration at Sealanes. All participants will get a specially designed Speedo x Pride Swim swim cap, a medal and a Speedo goody bag. Tickets are only £10 and all ticket sales and any additional donations go to us here at Switchboard to help support the vital work we do providing support and information for the LGBTQIA+ communities across the UK. Get your tickets here: https://buff.ly/3zRzOm5

Happy #BlackHistoryMonth from Switchboard! ❤️ 💛 💚 🤎 🖤 To celebrate, we want to highlight four amazing grassroots organisations supporting & uplifting the Black LGBTQIA+ community all year round across the UK: UK Black Pride is an annual celebration and advocacy event that centres on the experiences and rights of Black LGBTQIA+ people and people of colour in the UK, promoting inclusivity, community, and equality. African Rainbow Family supports LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers and refugees of African heritage, providing advocacy, community, and assistance with legal and social challenges. Black Beetle Health focuses on improving the health and well-being of LGBTQIA+ Black people and people of colour, offering education, advocacy, and support to address health disparities in those communities. Rainbow Noir is a Manchester-based grassroots group that creates a safe, supportive space for LGBTQIA+ people of colour, celebrating their experiences and advocating for visibility and inclusion. https://buff.ly/3EYEANx

We’re proud to be joining Walthamstow Trades Hall, Positive East and former volunteers of Opening Doors to bring you Silver Pride 2024! Silver Pride is a celebration of our LGBTQIA+ Over 50s and provides an exciting event to promote connectivity throughout the community. There will be dancing, laughter, cake and a range of performances throughout the day and evening. In addition, we are excited to share an exhibition of LGBTQIA+ history and entries from our log books, as well as selected panels of the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt, an integral part of social history, remembering a generation. This event is aimed at LGBTQIA+ people aged 50+ but we welcome attendees of all ages to celebrate this vibrant day with us. Book your free tickets here: https://buff.ly/3BjrqMs

A big congrats and thank you to Craig who participated in the London Triathalon on behalf of Switchboard. "I did this as a personal challenge but also thought it would be wonderful to raise some money for a great charity too! Switchboard is an important and valuable organisation for the queer community. I have called on them several times over the years and been offered someone to listen, kindness and empathy. Being queer isn't all glitter and dance moves as those in the community know." If you are interested in challenging yourself and raising money for Switchboard, head to the link in our bio to check out some of the upcoming races we currently have places at. 🏃 🏊 🚴♀️ 🏅

We have created a brand new dedicated training group for trans and non-binary folk, led by current trans and non-binary Switchboard volunteers. This training group will meet weekly during Tuesday daytime for 3 weeks in a row to undertake our core acceptance training and become volunteers on our phone & chat services. We hope this space enables trainees to meet new people and make friends, all while training to become a qualified Switchboard volunteer. If you are interested in learning more & applying, click here: https://buff.ly/3zhkejo

On #WorldSuicidePreventionDay, we’re reminded of the importance of providing mental health support, especially within the LGBTQIA+ community. Suicide rates remain disproportionately high among LGBTQIA+ individuals due to stigma, discrimination, and lack of support. At Switchboard, we understand the unique challenges our community faces. Our volunteers are specially trained to provide non-judgmental support, offering a safe space for anyone in need. Whether you're struggling with your mental health, identity, or feeling isolated, we’re here to listen, every single day. You are never alone. Reach out to talk with someone today. Call, chat or email us at 0800 0119 100 or switchboard.lgbt.

We're still on the lookout for a Volunteer Community Lead to join the Switchboard team! This is a brand new role within Switchboard and will oversee four main areas: volunteer socials, wellbeing initiatives, celebrations and EDI endeavours. This role is key to ensuring we retain, nurture and engage our volunteers and that we create a community of volunteers which reflects the rich diversity of the wider LGBTQIA+ community. Could this be the job for you? Learn more and apply today: https://buff.ly/3Zgvx63 Or, share with your network to help us find the right person for this role!

Hi, I'm Melanie 👋 I am cycling 230 miles from Surrey to Salford to raise money for Switchboard 🚴🏼♀️🌈 I grew up with a mum who couldn’t have been more supportive of me and my sexuality, but I have known from a young age that my ease was paved by my uncle. My uncle Henry grew up in a strict Irish family, my Nan and aunties treated him terribly and cut contact pretty young. He moved to London (like all the gays do) and lived through the HIV/AIDS crisis and he lost loved ones in that time. He was around for Section 28 and talks to me about how hard that time was. He proposed to his boyfriend when marriage wasn’t legal and I attended their civil partnership which felt happy, and yet sad. He and his partner have always been the only secure relationship I’ve ever seen, and knowing they couldn’t have the rights straight people could weighed heavy on everyone that day— Great news, they are now married! He talks to me about calling Switchboard's helpline and he’s the one who introduced me to Switchboard in the first place. This year, I attended London Pride and heard the stories of how important Switchboard still is in our community. There’s something heartbreaking about knowing we have and haven’t come far with the way the world treats us. So, I decided to do this cycle and raise money so Switchboard can continue for the next 50 years and help the next generation... and the one after that! To learn more about Melanie's cycle you can check out her TikTok @melanie.willoughby and to donate to help her reach her fundraising goal, click here https://buff.ly/4cA6ePs