Queer Clinic CIC

The Queer Clinic CIC exists to help the LGBT community to access wellbeing services and to feel more empowered. In its second year of running, Queer Clinic CIC continued with its National Lottery grant funded project creating an online wellbeing resource for the LGBTQIA community. We ran a further 12 workshops, all facilitated by queer individuals, 8 of whom identify as trans and or non-binary. We are proud to have supported, promoted and paid some of the most marginalised community members to share their work and to have it archived for wider benefit in our online hub. Workshops included movement and embodiment practices, zine-making, queer literature, queering tarot and more. Feedback from some facilitators in response to the question How was your experience? Really positive, very healing. I was made to feel very welcome in the online space which allowed me to facilitate what I thought was a very successful workshop. Part of its success came from a lack of expectation for high turnout, as the session was being recorded. Good. Rosie and Kash were both very nice and I enjoyed the experience of running the workshop. Participants were lovely. I have enjoyed it very much, and it’s been great to meet you and the very important work you do. I loved how engaged the group were. It was a pleasure hanging out with you all and would be lovely to do a part 2 some time. We dedicated time this year to developing our online resource hub so all workshops have been edited and uploaded as an ongoing resource in different pathways e.g. bodywork, creative practices, etc. We have also created and collated pdf resources from the workshops and as bonuses available to any members of the resource hub. We have further created short videos out of the existing workshops to make available on YouTube and Instagram for wider reach and impact. This year we also ran an in-person low-cost massage clinic in Brighton, in collaboration with the hair and beauty salon Guckies, and continued to promote affordable massage services for the queer community in collaboration with an associated therapist. We underwent significant mentorship for developing our CIC and undertook extensive research into grant funding opportunities, in the process creating a wider network of partners. While new funding didn’t come through this year, we achieved significant development on a project to be funded by Arts Council England with very supportive feedback, which we hope to secure next year, and learned a lot about funding priorities which we will take into future projects. All of our beneficiaries are self-identified queer, with many being trans and non-binary, and many being neurodivergent, disabled, and or living with chronic pain. We offered services for low-cost this year with free options available if needed and reinvested all money into the CIC. Our plans for 26-27 are to complete the current National Lottery project, with two in-person events, one in Brighton, one in Liverpool and two final online workshops. We will market more widely our online resource to increase awareness and impact. We will continue to apply for more funding, including a project with Arts Council England and a second project with National Lottery to promote LGBTQ creativity and wellbeing.