- B❤️LD promotes and marks relevant anti-stigma activities, campaigns and calendar events e.g., Age Without Limits, Bereavement Matters, Dementia Awareness Week, World AIDS Day, Lesbian Visibility Week, Black & Brown History.
- B❤️LD hosts and facilitates coffee meet-ups, drop-ins, one-to-one support, needs assessments, casework, home visits and bereavement, dementia and carers’ groups.
- B❤️LD organises engagement events and trips out to reduce social isolation and increase community confidence. It also works in partnership with other relevant organisations, contributes to important research, and raises awareness of older LGBTQ+ specific issues.
BEREAVEMENT GROUPS
Bereavement touches us in many ways including: loss of partners, friends, family members, loss of a relationship and beloved pets.
Operating under two divisions: GRIEF MEETS and GRIEF ENCOUNTERS.
Bereavement support is sensitively provided in these bespoke groups:
- Grief Meets sessions are a monthly occurrence. These sessions can be creative-based learning that allow individuals to meet and explore a new skill in a relaxed peer supported and safe environment. Grief Meets is tailored to the group needs.
Other B❤️LD bereavement sessions can include external facilitators offering new experiences or informative based support specific to grief.
- Grief Encounters is focused on closed groups that meet fortnightly. The group’s capacity is small allowing for individuals to feel comfortable and safe while they learn a new skill at the same time of exploring feelings, experiences and building relationships with peers.
1 to 1 Bereavement Support
These sessions are offered as timely support for the individuals to express their thoughts . The space is confidential and safe and run over an agreed period. It is also during these session that clients can decide whether and what bereavement group sessions they would like to engage in.
❤️OLDER PEOPLE’S GROUPS 50+
There is a cross-over between all our B❤️LD services. They are intersectional, inclusive and open to LGBTQ+ people in the Sussex area. As well as group work and 1 to 1 support, we offer safe environments which allow people to come together and share experiences through peer support.
Group work includes creative workshops, trips, outings and external visitors. Our Older People’s Group is for those looking for a sense of community, support and information.
We provide those aged 50+ with regular social activities. We also provide information and host workshops about services for older people and make connections for people within the community and to other services.
🍵CURRENT MEET-UPS
- HOP50+ – Heritage Club, Brighton
- Fitzherbert Hub, Brighton
Come and have a cuppa and meet other over-50s in our LGBTQ+ community. We have members in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. Research shows gathering in community reduces social isolation, increases confidence, keeps our brains active and encourages physical activity. Sometimes, invited guest professionals join us, e.g., Age UK LGBTQ+ Champion, Tarot readers, East Sussex Vision Support.
🗣️TALK & LISTEN SESSIONS
We reach out to all new members of B❤️LD.
If you need to talk about what’s going on for you, we can listen. Our confidential sessions (with or without chosen family, support workers, partners or carers) include the following:
- Flexible 1-1s: in-person, video conference, telephone or WhatsApp
- Supportive: trauma-informed, holistic individual 45/50-minute sessions
- Referrals/signposting: to relevant organisations, including to other Switchboard services.
- Home visits: in some cases, where travel is a barrier.
- Information: advice, support and some guidance
DEMENTIA GROUPS & BRAINBOW HEALTH
B&H LGBT Switchboard host two dementia groups in Sussex:
- LGBTQ+ Dementia Café drop-in, Lancing
- Dementia and Carer’s group, Brighton
B❤️LD dementia drop-ins and support groups are open to anyone living with dementia, their carers and partners. Come for a cuppa and a warm, non-judgemental welcome.
In Lancing, we meet monthly at the Beehive specialist dementia café. We also have two wonderful guest specialists:
- Dementia (hand) Massage Therapist offering gentle respite.
- Audiologist who can check your ears and hearing aids.
In Brighton at Towergate Community Centre and Cafe, we have a safe, warm, accessible and private room to share personal experiences combined with hot beverages and healthy snacks.
B❤️LD brain health groups are open to all LGBTQ+ people who are 50+. Our two pilot Mémoire groups recently ran over a period of four months on an alternating fortnightly basis:
- Mémoire Workshop: getting stuff done: Advanced Statements, Lasting Power of Attorney, Dream Lists, brain health talks and videos.
- Mémoire Support Group: discussions, story-telling, sharing tips, trick and ideas, brain puzzles.
Mémoire Brain Health group now runs as a longer monthly session combining practical workshops: wills, funeral planning, letter of wishes, digital legacy etc. With engaging, fun tasters e.g., mini-memoirs, origami, chakra balance and brain puzzles to exercise our little grey cells.
Brain food and refreshments always provided.
Supporting you to support yourselves & each other
