Blog Commemorative Dates
Published: January 2, 2025 by mbelfield
LGBT Foundation, the UK’s leading LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing charity, celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025. This landmark milestone will commemorate five decades of equality, inclusion, resilience and LGBTQ+ hope and joy.
Founded as the Manchester Gay Switchboard in 1975, LGBT Foundation has grown into a national charity. Throughout its history, LGBT Foundation has provided critical, life-saving support and advocacy for LGBTQ+ communities across the UK. From answering urgent calls during the height of the HIV epidemic to creating spaces and places where people can take control of their health and wellbeing to empowering today’s changemakers and calling for action and change, LGBT Foundation has persisted as a vital lifeline for those in need. Today, its services reach tens of thousands of people annually in Manchester, Liverpool, London, and beyond.
Celebrations kicked off on Thursday, 2nd January 2025, with an Afternoon Tea that honoured its rich history and the people who built it. the event brought together over 50 helpline volunteers and staff, past and present, to share memories and reflect on the milestone. These individuals, who laid the groundwork for today’s vital services, were celebrated for their invaluable contributions ahead of a year dedicated to both remembrance and progress.
The anniversary will honour the people, stories, and communities that have shaped the charity’s journey while looking ahead to an exciting future of continued progress. To mark this incredible milestone, LGBT Foundation invites people, allies, and communities to take part in the celebrations by sharing personal stories and messages of support, attending events, and helping shape the next 50 years of progress and hope. Messages of support have already been received from high-profile people, including an anniversary message from Dame Nia Griffith DBE MP to LGBT Foundation to mark 50 years of exemplary, life-saving work. and Sir Ian McKellen, a proud champion and patron of LGBT Foundation.
Dr Paul Martin OBE, CEO of LGBT Foundation, said: “LGBT Foundation is one of only three LGBTQ+ charities in the UK to reach 50 years, and the first outside of London. This is a huge achievement, but this anniversary isn’t just about the charity’s history – it’s about the people. It’s about the lives that have been touched, the communities that have been built, and the future that is being created together. We invite everyone to get involved – whether by sharing a story, attending an event, or helping to create a legacy for generations to come.”
Anniversary Initiatives and How to Get Involved
LGBT Foundation has launched a variety of initiatives to honour personal stories and celebrate its golden anniversary:
Celebrating 50 Years: A Year-Long Journey
LGBT Foundation’s 50th anniversary will unfold over the year, reflecting key aspects of the charity’s legacy, place in history and the ongoing progress of the LGBTQ+ community. The year will begin with reflections on LGBT Foundation’s history and in the summer, a range of celebrations will highlight the joy, hope, and unity of the LGBTQ+ community as it stands today. The year will culminate in autumn and winter with a focus on shaping the next 50 years of LGBT Foundation and LGBTQ+ equality in the UK.
Highlights of the year include:
With more to be announced in spring.
A Historic Opportunity to Make an Impact
LGBT Foundation is inviting businesses, corporate partners, and organisations to join this monumental journey. By partnering with LGBT Foundation, organisations can make a real difference to the community and take their place in history as key supporters of this milestone celebration. Through sponsorship, collaboration, or volunteer engagement, businesses are encouraged to help bring this year-long celebration to life and contribute to a future of progress for LGBTQ+ communities. Interested parties should email charity@lgbt.foundation
For more information about the 50th-anniversary celebrations and how to get involved, visit lgbt.foundation/50years or join LGBT Foundation’s Community Newsletter at lgbt.foundation/newsletter
