£70,000 distributed to Manchester gay groups
Operation Fundraiser has distributed £70,000 raised from Manchester Pride 2006 to LGBT and HIV good causes throughout Greater Manchester.
The money raised from this year’s Manchester Pride has been distributed to help HIV and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender charities in Greater Manchester.
Operation Fundraiser, the community fundraising venture and joint initiative between Lesbian and Gay Foundation and George House Trust raised a total of £70,000 at Manchester’s annual ten-day festival celebrating LGBT life in August 2006.
HIV charity George House Trust (GHT) and The Lesbian and Gay Foundation (LGF) received £2,500 each and the remaining £65,000 was divided, £32,500 for LGBT good causes and £32,500 for HIV good causes. Overall, 36 LGBT groups, projects or charities have received a lump sum from the fund out of 44 applications.
Emma Peate, Operation Fundraiser Manager said: “Successful projects include a £1000 donation to Queer Up North to fund a British Sign Language Interpreter for the festival in May 2007 as well as £870 to Age Concern to fund theatre trips and days out for the Manchester ‘Out in the City’ group. Some of the other LGBT groups include Northern Wave Swimming club, Manchester Parents Group, Let’s Do Lunch, Older Wiser Lesbians, Rainbow Families and the Black LGBT group all awarded around £1000 each.”
The other £32,500 was split between eight HIV related groups and services but as there was still £4000 remaining in the fund the Operation Fundraiser grant scheme panel decided that would be given to GHT for their welfare scheme.
Successful bids include £4945 to the Gay Healthy Alliance Project (GHAP) to fund costs relating to Holistic Health Adventure for HIV+ gay men and £5000 to Greater Manchester Immigration AIDS unit for costs relating to representation of cases involving HIV issues.
Amongst others, Body Positive North West were also awarded £5000 for costs relating to a ‘Masculinity, Power and Sexuality’ Workshop for gay men living with HIV and costs relating to their ‘Learning out of the Tardis’ project.
