Tackling Isolation for Older LGBTQIA+ Individuals

Friends of Dorothy is a charity that champions social inclusion for older LGBT+ people by hosting regular activities and events. A wide range of funding programmes from Leeds Community Foundation enabled them to tackle loneliness and isolation amongst older LGBTQIA+ individuals.

• Describe your organisation and the people/communities you support?

We are a welcoming inclusive group that supports our “friends” to keep well, have fun and stay connected Our main aims are to promote social inclusion for the public benefit, in particular, elderly people who identify as LGBTQIA+.

To relieve the needs of such people and assist them to integrate into society, in particular by: providing a local network group that encourages and enables members to interact more effectively with the wider community (including the young LGBTQIA+ community). raising public awareness of the issues affecting elderly people who identify as LGBTQIA+.

 

• How have you been supported by Leeds Community Foundation and what has this funding enabled you to do? 

FoD social group benefitted from funding by the Leeds Community Foundation which was used for various activities including trips to the theatre, cinema, The Holocaust Museum, Harewood House and various meetups which would include some educational talks. It also helped towards the costs of The Ruby Slipper Ball. All these events happened before the charity came into being.

We currently have more than 65 LGBT+ individuals in Leeds with whom we are in regular contact. Ages range from 55 up to 91. The monthly meet ups were particularly popular, as were the Sunday Lunches.

 

• Can you give us an example of an individual and or group and how they have responded to this work?

Many of our FoD folk have welcomed the opportunity to meet up with like minded individuals from the same “community” and be able to talk openly about their lives. For some it has been a real lifeline – having lost a partner of many years standing.

 

• What challenges and opportunities do you face as an organisation in the current climate?

One of our greatest challenges has been to find ways to engage our older population of LGBTQIA+ with technology (Zoom). As you will be aware we are beginning to come out of lockdown, and as such we are now able to set up and fund some face-to-face activities once again.

 

• How is your organisation preparing for the future, and what kind of funding is needed?

The Board of Friends of Dorothy has recently engaged in some future visioning and business planning. Top of our list: to get funding for a paid support / coordinator, who can then help to grow our team of volunteers and most importantly ensure the long-term viability of the Charity.