LGBT London history project wins Lottery grant
A new project that explores the experiences of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans communities in housing and their relationship with the police over the past 25 years has received a £49,900 grant.
The project is being run jointly by Islington-based Galop – London’s community safety charity for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community – and Stonewall Housing.
Improvements in the way people from the LGBT community have been treated in are to be researched with the grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Deborah Gold, Galop chief executive, said:
“Both Galop and Stonewall Housing are delighted with the chance to explore and celebrate our histories and achievements whilst also empowering our communities by giving voice to their experiences over the past generation.”
Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund London Sue Bowers said:
“This project will draw together for the first time the recent history of a community whose story has thus far been largely overlooked.
“As such it will help to inform cultural historians and a wider audience about significant shifts in professional and public attitudes.”
Volunteer interviewers will be trained to record the testimonies and experiences of up to 40 people.
A booklet and website will be produced featuring a selection of interviews, and teaching materials will also be created.
An exhibition will tour a number of libraries around London, and the booklet will be made available for distribution to public and university libraries, local education authorities, community events and the like.
All material gathered during the project will be stored at the Hall-Carpenter Archives, held at the British Library of Political and Economic Science at the London School of Economics.
