Advertisement
Housing

The UK’s first LGBTQ+ shelter needs a new home

The Outside Project has suffered a “massive blow” after a planned move into a new building fell through.

The UK’s first LGBTQ+ shelter has been forced to close it’s doors while it looks for a new permanent home.

The Outside Project, which acts as a community centre, shelter and domestic abuse refuge, says its planned move into a new building – which had been hit by delays – has now fallen through due to renovation costs.

It had moved from it’s temporary home of two years, Clerkenwell Fire Station in Islington, north London, into a Covid-19 hotel in April last year and had been based there since.

Carla Ecola, founder of The Outside Project, said: “We are looking for buildings to operate in and hope to find something before next winter at least. If you have a building that could be used as an emergency night shelter please contact Press@lgbtiqoutside.org.

They added: “Our additional winter emergency hotel closes as planned this month after a second successful year. This will therefore be the first time we have not had emergency accommodation available since we reopened in 2018 following our pilot in 2017.

“This has been a massive blow to our crew who have given everything to stay open and to open the additional services our community desperately needed throughout the pandemic.”

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Advertisement

The Outside Project received £50,000 from mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s Rough Sleeping Innovation Fund to help it to move into Clerkenwell Fire Station in 2019.

has supported over 60 LGBTQ+ people into crisis beds this winter, and many more through its centre and outreach in the community – an increase on the same period the previous year.

“There is no doubt that LGBTIQ+ by and for, high support crisis accommodation is vital in London and we’re working hard to find a suitable, stable, long term home for our services,” Ecola added.

“Thankyou to our team and everyone in the London LGBTIQ+ Community who has supported our work since we began campaigning in 2017.

“Thankyou to the GLA for your ongoing support throughout these very uncertain two years and onwards as we search for a permanent home for our LGBTIQ+ Shelter here in London. Thankyou to the hundreds of guests over the years that have contributed to the shelter’s unique identity and sense of community – it’s been such a
journey and we love our ever growing house.”

Those who are LGBTQ+ and facing abuse or homelessness should contact the helplines listed on The Outside Project website for advice and support, or visit its weekly housing advice drop-in – Cafe Queero – at their LGBTQ+ Centre on Lant Street in Borough, south London.

More information can be found here.

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

SIGN THE PETITION

Will you sign Big Issue's petition to ask Keir Starmer to pass a Poverty Zero law? It's time to hold government to account on poverty once and for all.

Recommended for you

Read All
Labour wants to shake-up the controversial Right to Buy scheme with these three steps
Labour housing secretary Angela Rayner and housing minister Matthew Pennycook
Right to buy

Labour wants to shake-up the controversial Right to Buy scheme with these three steps

Over 10 times more women sleeping rough than official stats suggest, report says
A woman on the street
Rough sleeping

Over 10 times more women sleeping rough than official stats suggest, report says

Labour wants to build 300,000 affordable and social homes in 10 years. But is it enough?
Labour housing secretary Angela Rayner
Social housing

Labour wants to build 300,000 affordable and social homes in 10 years. But is it enough?

Rough sleeping in London hits record high amid warnings of benefit cuts making things worse
a homeless man sitting on the street with his dog
Rough sleeping

Rough sleeping in London hits record high amid warnings of benefit cuts making things worse

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue
4.

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue