Brighton Pride enables Rainbow funding for LGBT mental health project MindOut

Thanks to last year’s funding from Brighton Pride, the Rainbow Fund has been able to continue its support to MindOut, the LGBT mental health project working in the city.

Following a Rainbow Fund grant provided to the group last year, Helen Jones, Director of MindOut has reported that: “The funding enabled us to provide peer support groups for LGBT people who are experiencing mental health problems a place to go which is supportive, safe, confidential and affirming.  Many of the people who attend are socially isolated, some do not go anywhere else all week.  This year 87 people came to our group work service.

“For some time MindOut has been aware of the mental health needs of older LGB&T people, some of whom are isolated, less likely to access commercial LGBT venues, less likely to be part of community initiatives.  The Rainbow Fund grant enabled us to run an event aimed at bringing together older LGBT people. This event was excellent, very dynamic, well attended and has continued to run monthly.

“Funding for ‘Out of the Blue’, our suicide prevention group, has been essential to keep this very popular group running weekly. This year we have provided 243 places for LGBT people who experience suicidal distress.”

Helen concluded: “The Rainbow Fund has made a huge difference to us this year.  We really value such a community focussed, flexible grant which has supported us to offer essential services as well as developing new community work.”

Paul Elgood, Chairman of the Rainbow Fund said: “We have been proud to support MindOut since it was established as an independent organisation. Their work tackling suicide prevention, social isolation and mental health is critical for our community. Thanks to the money donated by Brighton Pride we can see the difference our funding has made to the community. The positive outcomes of their work are astonishing and help show that every pound donated through the Pride ticket scheme is making a huge difference to our community.”