CityLife

Help is at hand at LGF surgeries

Sir Ian McKellen at the opening of the Gay and Lesbian Foundation in 2006

BEING part of the Manchester gay community isn’t without its trials and tribulations.

“There is  a need for a safe space where LGBT people can go and speak to people who are experts and who are also understanding of the needs of our diverse communities,” says Samantha Days, The Lesbian & Gay Foundation’s advice services manager.

Samantha manages the LGF’s long-serving Helpline service, which receives 5,000 calls a year, and also helps to run three different advice surgeries.

Manchester City Council runs a housing and homelessness advice surgery in partnership with the LGF every Tuesday evening.

The surgery provides a place where people can discuss their housing issues with a dedicated housing support worker.

The police drop-in surgery has been in operation for three years and takes place every Thursday evening.

“We’re still aware that hate crime is vastly under-reported and we need the LGBT community to help us obtain an even clearer picture of hate crime across Greater Manchester.” says PC Sam Tennant, LGBT liaison officer for Greater Manchester Police.

Support officers

GMP community PC’s and support officers are available to help with any problems at all that you think the police can help with and, if you have felt uneasy about calling the police or asking for their support in the past, the drop-in surgery is a great place to air your grievances.

The LGF has also teamed up with two gay friendly legal firms to provide a fortnightly advice surgery, running every second and fourth Tuesday of the month.

The new service, in partnership with legal firms O’Neill Patient LLP and McKeown Harkinson, was introduced following a number of requests from the gay community for information on legal advice following recent changes in the law such as civil partnerships and the recent sexual orientation regulations amendment to the goods and services act.

“We hope to provide additional advice at the surgery for anyone who has any concerns about the criminal justice system and feel they are not being adequately represented,” says Simon Harkinson, partner in McKeown Harkinson Solicitors.

The LGF are currently planning to introduce a debt advice surgery and are working in partnership with the Crown Prosecution Service to develop another service around reporting hate crime. The fight goes on…

All surgeries are held at the Lesbian & Gay Foundation headquarters at Princess House, 105-107 Princess Street from 6pm until 8pm and no appointment is necessary. For more information, call 0845 330 3030 (6pm- 10pm) or 0161 235 8035 (office hours), or visit www.lgf.org.uk