News

How will the Government’s new Drugs Strategy help LGBT people? Our CEO Monty Moncrieff takes a look at the Government’s new Drugs Strategy and what it means for LGBT people. The Government has unveiled its new Drug Strategy, a ten-year ambition to tackle drug-related harms. The previous strategy failed to mention LGBT people at all, despite significantly higher levels of substance use within our communities than seen in the population generally. What does this ambitious new strategy offer LGBT people? Despite pressure to view drug use as a public health issue the Government has doubled down on its criminal justice

Our Antidote Service Manager Toni Hogg spoke to Ella Braidwood at HuffPost UK about the essential role of LGBTQ+ specific support services like London Friend’s Antidote and LGBT Foundation recovery team in Manchester. They talked about the impact of negative comments about LGBTQ people in the media, at school, in the workplace; the shame many of their clients are still dealing with and the clear link between the trauma experienced by LGBTQ+ people and addiction issues. The article is an important and thorough piece highlighting the work being done to create more sober spaces/events for our LGBTQ+ community and the

To mark Alcohol Awareness Week (15-21 November) with this year’s theme “Alcohol and Relationships”, we’ve invited Rhyannon Styles, author of ‘ ‘Help! I’m Addicted; A Trans Girls Self Discovery & Recovery’’ to talk to us about her journey to recovery from addiction to alcohol, sex and relationships. How to take the first steps towards recovery  There may come a point in someone’s life when a certain behavior creates dysfunction and instability. When it stops them from enjoying a meaningful connection to other people and themselves. It could be any number of things, drinking excessively, a drug habit, over-eating, under-eating, watching too much pornography,

This Intersex Solidarity Day, 8th November 2021, we have invited our volunteer Diana James to introduce the re-launch of our Intersex peer support group InterWednesday starting on 17th November 6 pm at 86 Caledonian Road! InterWednesday is a group for all intersex, DSD, VSC people; although we are meeting at the wonderful London Friend who are an LGBT+ organisation, this group is for ALL intersex people regardless of their sexuality. This is going to be a friendly group where you can meet other intersex folk and discuss (or not!) the issues that you face. What we are not is a

Statement of Support NationalHCAW 2021 by Monty Moncrieff MBE, Chief Executive On National Hate Crime Awareness Week 9th – 16th October 2021, we reflect on the increase in division and hatred across our society and the deplorable nature of hate crimes.  Nobody should be targeted because of who they are, and we stand in solidarity against hate crime in all its hideous forms. As the oldest UK LGBT mental health charity, we are aware of the devastating impact hate crimes have on the mental health and wellbeing of our communities, their sense of safety, belonging, visibility and self-expression. LGBT+ hate crime

  David Tobias, Volunteer at London Friend What was your experience of coming out as an LGBT+?  It was very scary. And took quite some time to get up the nerve to do it. I did it in stages, starting with friends, then sisters, the parents. The period after coming out to my parents was uncomfortable as they weren’t sure what to say and needed time to process this news. But time heals and over time it has become a non-issue with the parents, but was never an issue with friends or my sisters. What was the definitive moment in