Switchboard Office Move
Switchboard is moving offices, which means that from Thursday 26th January until Tuesday 31st January 2012, the helpline will be unavailable. It will reopen for your calls on Tuesday 31st from 5pm.
Have You Made a New Year's Resolution to Get Fit?
If you need motivation to get fit whilst helping support Switchboard at the same time, we still have spaces available for runners interested in supporting Switchboard at this year's Brighton Marathon.
Do your Christmas shopping online and help Switchboard with every purchase you make
Remember that you can support Switchboard financially at the click of your mouse by following these simple steps:
1. Register for free with easyfundraising and select Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard as the cause you want to support. It's completely free.
2. When you've registered, you're ready to shop and raise money. Simply click on the retailer you want, then shop as you would normally. When you make a purchase, you will receive an email telling you how much you've raised and pass the donation to Switchboard.
Vote for Switchboard at the Sunshine Bank to Help Us Win a Share of £1000!
Sign up with the Sunshine Bank and you could help to raise money for Switchboard by saying 'thanks' and 'well done!' to your friends. Discover how it works here You can find out more about Switchboard's involvement and vote for us here
LGBT Switchboard's Funding Appeal Passes its Halfway Mark – But Still Needs Your Help!
Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard has passed the half way mark in its bid to raise £20,000 needed by April 2012.
Thanks to contingency funding from Brighton & Hove City Council, an East Sussex Health Improvement grant, a Cooperative Membership Community grant and a variety of community support from both businesses and individuals Switchboard is making progress in saving it’s help-line and counselling service from closure.
Switchboard would like to thank its supporters, particularly BLAGGS, Sussex Partnership Trust and The Camelford pub for hosting a pub quiz in aid of Switchboard which raised a total of £345, and all those individuals who have donated money.
Switchboard continues to appeal to members of the LGBT community to support the continuation of the help-line and counselling services.
If LGBT people don’t support LGBT charities who will?
If you can’t afford to donate money to Switchboard there are other ways in which you can help. Switchboard needs people to run the marathon for the charity, and always needs volunteers to run its help-line and especially right now needs volunteers to organise fundraising events.
If you can help contact Natalie Woods (Services and Development Manager) on 01273 207050
Look out for Switchboard volunteers who will be out and about in the bars promoting its campaign and asking for donations on 9th December.
LGBT People Can Now Have Their Say In How Community Mental Health Services Are Designed
Do you have views about community mental health services in Brighton and Hove? If so, NHS Sussex and Brighton and Hove City Council want to hear them.
The two organisations have started an eight week consultation aimed at discovering residents’ views about community mental health support across the city.
The results will be used by NHS Sussex and Brighton and Hove City Council to target people and groups most at risk, and develop plans that reflect local opinion about the most important priorities for improving mental health.
Printed copies of the questionnaire are available on request from contacting FREEPHONE 08000 013 0251 or by clicking here
LGBT HIP Launches Suicidal Distress Survey
A group of Brighton & Hove organisations have come together to develop the LGBT Health Involvement Project (LGBT HIP), with the aim of giving local LGBT people a voice about local healthcare services and issues.
The first online consultation focuses on the issue of suicidal distress. We know from international research that LGB people are more than two times more likely to attempt suicide. We want to find out from local LGBT people about their experiences and views so that we can make recommendations about what services we need and how we can strengthen the community response to supporting people experiencing suicidal distress.
Click here to go to the survey. You can make a real contribution to helping us better understand the issues and do your bit for World Mental Health Day - and it takes just 10 minutes!
URGENT FUNDRAISING APPEAL
We need your help! Switchboard needs £20,000 by April 2012 to avoid closure and to keep providing the helpline and counselling service.
Click here to find out more...
CALLING ALL RUNNERS! CALLING ALL RUNNERS!
Do you want to run the marathon but don’t have a place? Or do you have a place and want to run for a local charity?
Click here to find out more...
FREE LEGAL ADVICE
Callers to our helpline can now access free legal advice. This service is provided by Oliver Beyret Powell a local, LGBT affirmative, registered solicitor with Family Law Made Easy.
Oliver can provide you with advice in relation to pre-nuptial agreements, living together agreements, divorce, civil partnership dissolution, issues in relation to property for co-habitees, financial aspects of divorce/dissolution, issues in relation to children (e.g: parental responsibility, contact, residence) and domestic violence.
This is initial 30 minute FREE telephone consultation advice provided, by prior arrangement, between 8am- 8pm Monday to Thursday, and 8am-5pm on Fridays.
Call our helpline to access this service. One of our trained helpline operators will take your name and contact details and pass them in confidence to Oliver who will contact you to discuss your needs. Switchboard will not keep records of your confidential information.
Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard has no liability for any legal advice given.
CAN YOU HELP US WITH FUNDRAISING?
COULD YOU GIVE UP SOME TIME TO JOIN OUR FUNDRAISING GROUP?
Switchboard is seeking volunteers to help with fundraising activity - if you can help email brighton.manager@switchboard.org.uk or call our office on 01273 207050.
NEED LGBT AWARENESS + AFFIRMATIVE PRACTISE TRAINING?
If your team or organisation needs training or skills development Switchboard provides this specialist training and consultation. For further details including costs call the Services and Development Manager on 01273 207050 or email to brighton.manager@switchboard.org.uk
