The London Friend office in Caledonian Road

"London Friend is the UK’s oldest LGBT charity dedicated to the health and mental well-being of the LGBT community in and around London and the South East."[1]

History

London Friend was originally a part of Friend which was a befriending offshoot of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality (CHE) and first operated from a flat in Earl's Court, before moving to a community centre in Church Street, Westminster.

In 1974 London Friend appeared alongside CHE in a documentary titled 'Speak for yourself' produced by London weekend Television at which time the organisations offices were in at 47 Church St, London NW8. The organisations were working closely together through social events, Friend was a counselling service, whereas CHE was a campaign and political group[.[2] London Friend was separated from CHE in 1975 and then obtained premises in Upper Street, temporarily in Seven Sisters Road, and later in Caledonian Road.[3] The Caledonian Road premises were reported by January 2011 to be under threat and an appeal was launched to safeguard the building.[4][5][6] During 2012, as a result of the appeal, and also additional funding following a merger with another charity, London Friend was able to purchase the property.[7] Meanwhile continued expansion has meant that additional space is now being used at the GMFA office elsewhere in Islington.

Provisions

London Friend has at various times provided befriending, counselling, meeting spaces, helplines, support groups, a library of gay and lesbian books, and training for volunteers, police cadets and social workers.[3]

Charity single

In 2011 British electronic singer Andi Fraggs recorded a charity single "Reality" for London Friend, followed by a fundraising show at Madame Jojo's in London's Soho.[8][9]

Awards

Official website

Official website

See also

References

  1. ↑ "2014 Winners". National Diversity Awards.
  2. ↑ "Speak for yourself, Gay's The Word". British Film Institute. London Weekend TV 1974. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  3. 1 2 "London Friend". London Friend. 25 August 2009. Archived from the original on 8 July 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  4. ↑ "Appeal launched after reprieve gives charity a year to find £100,000 needed to save building". Islington Tribune. 3 December 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  5. ↑ Geen, Jessica (25 November 2010). "London gay charity hopes to keep premises". Pink News. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  6. ↑ "Islington Council rent rise threatens valued charity, London Friend". Labour Councillors representing Caledonian Ward in Islington (Paul Convery, Rupert Perry and Charlynne Pullen). 2 March 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  7. ↑ "London Friend News". Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
  8. ↑ "Andi Fraggs interview". www.gailymail.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 5 December 2011.
  9. ↑ Special one off show to celebrate the release of the new Andi Fraggs single 'Reality' and the 'London Friend' charity. "Andi Fraggs 'Reality' Live". residentadvisor.net. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  10. ↑ "Queen's Award for Voluntary Service 2016: recipients". Cabinet Office. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  11. ↑ "London LGBT charity honoured with Queen's Award for Voluntary Service". Pink News. 2 June 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  12. ↑ "2016 GSK IMPACT Award winners". The King's Fund. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
  13. ↑ "2014 Winners". National Diversity Awards.
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