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      • Alcohol
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  • VOLUNTEERING
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Menu
  • SUPPORT
    • Online Support
      • Wellbeing Support
    • Counselling
      • Counselling
      • Domestic Abuse Counselling
    • Antidote: Drugs & Alcohol Support
      • Antidote Home Care
      • Antidote Drop Ins
      • The Antidote Social
      • Axis – Satellite Clinic
      • 1-1 Keyworking
      • Real Chemistry
        • Real Chemistry Sunday Sessions
        • Real Chemistry Online Workshops
        • Real Chemistry For Professionals
      • SWAP
      • Chemcheck
      • For Women
      • Friends & Family Chemsex
      • Drugs
        • Alcohol
        • Crystal Meth
        • G (GHB/GBL)
        • Steroids
        • Mephedrone
        • Cannabis
        • Cocaine
        • Ketamine
        • Other Drugs
        • Safer Injecting Practices
    • Social Support Groups
      • London Friend Groups
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    • Sexual Health
      • SASH
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      • Chemsex and the Coronavirus Lockdown
      • What is Chemsex
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      • Chemsex and Mental Health
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      • Chemsex and Sexual Health
    • Drugs
      • Alcohol
      • Crystal Meth
      • G (GHB/GBL)
      • Steroids
      • Mephedrone
      • Cannabis
      • Cocaine
      • Ketamine
      • Other Drugs
      • Safer Injecting Practices
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  • VOLUNTEERING
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  • WE’RE 50!
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      • Dugan Cummings
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      • Meg-John Barker
      • Dan Vo
      • Matthew Hodson
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      • Revd Jide Macaulay
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      • Professor Kevin Fenton
      • Aisha Mirza
      • Angela Gibson
      • Lisa Power
      • DJ Ritu
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      • Marc Thompson
      • Aloysius Ssali
      • Rita Mcloughlin
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Menu
  • WE’RE 50!
    • 50 years of LGBTQ+ support
    • 50 LGBTQ+ Londoners
      • Dugan Cummings
      • Laura Willoughby MBE
      • Meg-John Barker
      • Dan Vo
      • Matthew Hodson
      • Kate Martin
      • Richard Desmond
      • Revd Jide Macaulay
      • Jane Chance Czyzselska
      • Lord Michael Cashman CBE
      • Michelle Ross
      • Professor Kevin Fenton
      • Aisha Mirza
      • Angela Gibson
      • Lisa Power
      • DJ Ritu
      • Mzz Kimberley
      • Marc Thompson
      • Aloysius Ssali
      • Rita Mcloughlin
      • Michael Blyth
      • Carla Ecola
    • 50th Birthday Events
      • Queers without Beers celebrates 50 years of London Friend
      • Meet The Community: London Friend
    • Submit Your Story
  • DONATIONS
    • Donate Now
    • Fundraising
    • Amazon Smile
    • Drugstars App
    • Facebook
  • PROFESSIONALS
    • Training
      • Improving LGBT Competence
      • Developing Trans Competence
      • Working with Chemsex
      • Developing an LGBT Support Strategy
      • Healthy LGBT Lives
      • Our Trainers
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    • Partnerships
    • LGBT Resources
  • ABOUT
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    • Meet Our Trustees
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    • Timeline
    • Safer Spaces Policy
    • Covid-19 Safety Regulations
    • Privacy & Data Policy
Menu
  • SUPPORT
    • Online Support
      • Wellbeing Support
    • Counselling
      • Counselling
      • Domestic Abuse Counselling
    • Antidote: Drugs & Alcohol Support
      • Antidote Home Care
      • Antidote Drop Ins
      • The Antidote Social
      • 1-1 Keyworking
      • Real Chemistry
      • SWAP
      • Chemcheck
      • For Women
      • Friends & Family Chemsex
      • Drugs
        • Alcohol
        • Crystal Meth
        • G (GHB/GBL)
        • Steroids
        • Mephedrone
        • Cannabis
        • Cocaine
        • Ketamine
        • Other Drugs
        • Safer Injecting Practices
    • Social Support Groups
      • London Friend Groups
      • External Groups
      • Calendar
    • Sexual Health
      • SASH
      • Rise
      • Code
      • Axis
      • CliniQ
      • Self Help
    • Refugees & Asylum Seekers
    • Helplines
  • INFO & ADVICE
    • LGBT+ History Month 2021
    • Mental Health
    • Coming Out
    • Hate Crime Support
    • Chemsex
      • Chemsex and the Coronavirus
      • What is Chemsex
      • Chemsex Support
      • Before and During Chemsex Sessions
      • Chemsex and Mental Health
      • Chemsex and Consent
      • Chemsex and Sexual Health
    • Drugs
      • Alcohol
      • Crystal Meth
      • G (GHB/GBL)
      • Steroids
      • Mephedrone
      • Cannabis
      • Cocaine
      • Ketamine
      • Other Drugs
      • Safer Injecting Practices
    • Apps & Safety
    • Friends & Family General
    • Friends & Family Chemsex
  • VOLUNTEERING
    • Volunteer
    • Volunteer Counsellor
    • Volunteer Supervisors
    • Trustee
  • WE’RE 50!
    • 50 years of LGBTQ+ support
    • 50 LGBTQ+ Londoners
      • Dugan Cummings
      • Laura Willoughby MBE
      • Meg-John Barker
      • Marc Thompson
      • Aloysius Ssali
      • Mzz Kimberley
      • Lisa Power
      • DJ Ritu
      • Angela Gibson
      • Aisha Mirza
      • Kate Martin
      • Professor Kevin Fenton
      • Michelle Ross
      • Lord Michael Cashman CBE
      • Jane Chance Czyzselska
      • Revd Jide Macaulay
      • Richard Desmond
      • Rita Mcloughlin
    • 50th Birthday Events
      • Queers without Beers celebrates 50 years of London Friend
    • Submit Your Story
  • DONATIONS
    • Donate Now
    • 2.6 Challenge (Covid-19)
    • Fundraising
    • Amazon Smile
    • Drugstars App
    • Facebook
  • PROFESSIONALS
    • Training
      • Improving LGBT Competence
      • Developing Trans Competence
      • Working with Chemsex
      • Developing an LGBT Support Strategy
      • Healthy LGBT Lives
      • Our Trainers
    • Healthcare Professionals
    • Partnerships
    • LGBT Resources
  • ABOUT
    • News
    • Blog
    • Meet Our Team
      • Meet Our Trustees
    • Media
      • Videos
      • Podcasts
    • Statement on Trans Rights
    • Monty’s Thoughts
    • Testimonials
    • Funders & Supporters
    • Awards
    • Timeline
    • Jobs
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Safer Spaces Policy
    • Covid-19 Safety Regulations
    • Privacy & Data Policy
CONTACT

Due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic we are still working partially online.
Click here for the latest information about our services and to contact us.

Rita Mcloughlin

Rita Mcloughlin, former Volunteer Coordinator at London Friend

To mark Volunteers' Week 2022 (1-7 June), an annual event in recognition of volunteers' contributions to our communities, we're celebrating the work of our former Volunteer Coordinator Rita McLoughlin.

Rita (she/her) has recently retired after 12 years of outstanding and inspiring work at London Friend. During her service with our volunteer-led charity, she has contributed immensely to the recruitment, development, and engagement of our 100-strong network of committed volunteers which led to London Friend's receiving The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in 2016.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to local volunteer groups across the UK to recognise outstanding work in their communities and is the equivalent of the MBE for voluntary groups.

We asked Rita about her role with London Friend and her work to support the LGBTQ+ community in London

I worked for London Friend for 12 years as the Volunteer Coordinator, before retiring in 2021.

London Friend has always been a support to London’s LGBTQ+ communities, but with the merging of Antidote (our Drug and Alcohol service) and the further development of the counselling service, we saw the organisation develop into the force it is today.

Over the 50-year life of the charity, hundreds of LGBTQ volunteers have given their time and commitment to the organisation delivering services across London Friend.

When I started at London Friend, only 23 volunteers were actively contributing to the services. When I left, it was close to 100.

I feel privileged over my years as a Volunteer Coordinator, recruiting and organising (some would say bossing), to have met and learnt from so many amazing people.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my work was meeting Londoners who had found London Friend in their own time of need – when they were coming out, wanting to explore their sexuality or gender or to seek support for their mental health or addictions – and who wanted to give back to the communities and the organisation who supported them.

What is the change you’d love to see in our community?

What would I wish for all LGBTQ communities in the future? Coming together to continue to campaign together for equality for all.

Thanks to National Lottery players

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