Book of Remembrance

Charity Launches Community Book of Remembrance

The Lesbian & Gay Foundation, alongside Manchester-based transgender support group Transforum, launched a Community Book of Remembrance, which aims to provide a space for people to remember those in the community who have been have lost through hate, discrimination, isolation and illness.

The book will be hosted at The Lesbian & Gay Foundation's Community Resource Centre on Richmond Street, Manchester, and will be accessible for all members of the public to come in, reflect, and leave a message.

Paul Martin, OBE, Chief Executive of The Lesbian & Gay Foundation, comments "We are really pleased to work with Transforum on this unique and new offering, enabling the community to remember those who have been lost"

Dawn Pomfret, Deputy Chair of Transforum goes onto explain "For me there was a lack of somewhere to leave a message to a loved one who had passed on. It was important for a space to be created where people could see and share the feeling that the person is now remembered.  I hope the book will give comfort to others"

The book was launched at a special event in September which saw key members of the LGB&T community speak about loved ones that they have lost. The event also marked the death of Carol Ainscow, a pioneering businesswoman and property developer who was instrumental in regenerating run-down parts of Manchester, including the Village. Carol, who had been battling a brain tumour, opened Manto, one of the first openly-gay bars on Canal Street.

The Community Book of Remembrance was also dedicated to transgender Lancashire teacher Lucy Meadows, who tragically took her own life back in March after her story became national news.

Paul Martin, OBE, Chief Executive of The Lesbian & Gay Foundation, goes onto say; "In the future we hope to host the book online, making it more accessible to members of the community. We are looking for companies who might be interesting in working in partnership with us"

Earlier this month The Lesbian & Gay Foundation also launched an interactive timeline, charity the history of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community over the last 100 years.

The timeline has a UK focus and charts events and people of significance including the death of Alan Turing in 1954, the first Gay Pride March of 1979 and the launch of the first magazine for lesbian women in 1963. It can be viewed at www.lgf.org.uk/history.

Published: 25-Oct-2013: (2111)