Almost £1 million will be made available to create a new LGBT+ centre in Belfast.
Almost one million pounds has been announced under the EU Peace Plus programme and will be used to create a new dedicated space for the LGBT+ community at Belfast Council’s 2 Royal Avenue building, a Victorian building that formerly housed a bank and, more recently, a Tesco branch.
The money comes from a £15 million tranche of EU funding announced this week. The Peace Plus Fund is jointly funded by the EU and the UK government.
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In January 2023, Belfast City Council asked the city’s residents in a consultation whether a new building for the LGBT+ community was needed. The council has not yet published the results of a feasibility study on the new centre.
The council said: “Demand for services from LGBTQIA+ organisations has increased significantly in recent years. With many of these organisations receiving little or no core funding, it can be difficult to cover rent and other overheads.
“In response, Cara-Friend, HEReNI and The Rainbow Project currently rent space together in a building commonly referred to as the LGBT Centre. In addition to reducing costs, sharing space has led to increased collaboration and other benefits.
“As other LGBTQIA+ organisations in the city are currently renting premises and using space in the LGBT Centre, a feasibility study was developed to assess the need for a dedicated LGBTQIA+ hub.
“In addition to the cost benefits, a dedicated LGBTQIA+ hub would also provide a one-stop shop for local and central authorities, statutory bodies, service providers, service users and other community organisations wishing to engage in the community.”
This week, SDLP leader on Belfast City Council, Séamas de Faoite, welcomed the new funding offer.
He said: “This funding announcement will result in the creation of a dedicated space for every LGBT+ person on the first floor of 2 Royal Avenue, in the heart of our city.
“This marks the end of a long campaign and a very personal desire to see a facility like this in Belfast. I pay tribute to everyone who helped make this possible and to the tireless LGBT+ activists who do so much for our community.
“There are many fantastic LGBT+ organisations in Belfast and across the North and for far too long they have not had a permanent location. This central hub will allow them to come together in a permanent working space, while people can access a variety of services in a safe place.
“The establishment of this centre in a prestigious building in the city centre shows how far Belfast has come in recent decades, but there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure that our LGBT+ community feels free here and can live their lives without fear or worry. I believe that this centre will go a long way towards solving these problems and I am delighted to have worked with other representatives to help make the dream of many come true.”
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