Icebreakers win award

Manchester gay charity honoured in Queen’s Awards

Icebreakers Manchester, a charity led and run entirely by a dedicated team of trained volunteers, has been recognised for its work in this year’s Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Service. The volunteers are thrilled to receive such a significant award especially as they are currently preparing to celebrate their 25th year of operation.  Four volunteers from the group will attend one of the Queen’s garden parties this July in recognition of the award.

Icebreakers was established in 1986 and has been cited for its work in promoting the well-being of gay and bisexual men by providing a safe meeting environment in which to develop mutually supportive friendships.
The group, which operates solely in the Greater Manchester area, assists men aged 18 years or over regardless of ethnicity, religion, or nationality.  It holds its weekly meetings in the Lesbian & Gay Foundation’s Community Resource Centre on Richmond Street, Manchester where it greets over 100 new clients each year, having supported in excess of 2,000 men since its inception.

Icebreakers was created to support local gay and bisexual men through the process of ‘coming out’ and establishing their first friendships with men in the same situation.  It achieves this at weekly group meetings that are both welcoming and informal, enabling attendees to form friendships naturally, away from external social pressures. 
The group describes its support as ‘transitional’ in that group-users are intended to gravitate away from the group once they have established a supportive network of friends.

With the development of the Gay Village and creation of a thriving gay ‘scene’, much has changed in Manchester since the group’s early days.  In response, Icebreakers has extended its remit to include support for gay and bisexual men experiencing social isolation whether just coming out, being new to the area, or resulting from the breakdown of a significant relationship.

A spokesman for the group says “This prestigious award is really appreciated by the volunteer team; most of whom are ex-users of the group and many have been volunteering for over 10 years. Icebreakers has changed with the times, but its core values and ethics have remained steadfast. This, and the increasing demand for its services, is probably the main reason for its continued success.”

“We often make significant changes to people’s lives and that’s what keeps the whole team motivated and strong.” he added.
Manchester City Councillor Paul Fairweather commented “In my capacity as Lead Member for Gay Men's Issues within the Council I am in contact with a wide range of LGBT groups in the city and know that the work of Icebreakers is held in high regard by all of them; the volunteers are extremely dedicated and professional in their approach to their role. Most of the gay men I know in Manchester know someone who has attended Icebreakers when they were coming out and that the support and encouragement they received made a crucial difference to them.”

Trevor Burchick MBE, Director of Manchester-based Pride Sports, the LGBT sports development company, said “I have been a regular guest speaker at Icebreakers gatherings and have witnessed first-hand the impact this great service has on men struggling to come to terms with their sexuality in what is often still a very homophobic world.

 I know many of the lucky people that have been supported by Icebreakers and how much it has meant to them.  By helping to build a healthy, caring community and reduce social exclusion, Icebreakers’ volunteers have not only earned a reputation for trust and respect but have also made a unique contribution to the local LGBT community through the most important years of its history.”

As part of the celebrations to mark its 25th year in operation, Icebreakers will be participating in Manchester’s forthcoming Pride Parade in August.

Published: 9-Oct-2011: (566)