The UK’s brand new £2.4 million LGBTQ+ centre, The Proud Place, has finally opened its doors after four years of work.
Despite being based in Manchester, it will serve the whole country’s queer community.
The Proud Trust charity’s newly redeveloped building spans three floors and will provide access to community groups, support workers and an array of events, among other things.
It has been designed to make visitors feel ‘at home’ through a light and airy feel.
Each of the floors serves a different purpose, with the ground being a welcoming space to pause, meet and connect, the first being used for sharing and learning, and the second existing predominantly as a workspace.
“It’s an honour for The Proud Trust to take care of such an important building on behalf of Manchester’s LGBTQ+ Community and we’re excited for this next chapter in our history,” said new CEO Lisa Harvey-Nebil.
“Our beautiful new home is such a far cry from the original building, which was built for privacy in the days when many people in our community were fearful of accessing services.”
🌈✨ Introducing The Proud Place – Manchester’s LGBT+ Community Centre
We’ve had the most amazing long weekend celebrating the launch of The Proud Place with LGBT+ young people, community members, staff and supporters. pic.twitter.com/dzjV8iLtGQ
— The Proud Trust (@TheProudTrust) May 31, 2022
Having the space will enable The Proud Trust to triple the amount of LGBTQ+ people it can support, with The Proud Place itself expected to welcome 16,000 visitors each year.
The centre was funded and supported by businesses such as Schuh, B&Q, Amazon, Post Office, Siemens, United Utilities, Talk Talk and many others, as well as grants up to £100,000 from local trusts and donations from the general public.
It’s a Sin star Nathaniel Hall attended the opening, where he said The Proud Place “feels like a place you can kick off your shoes and just relax and let the stresses of life fade away.
“It’s the place that I, definitely needed when I was 14, 15, 16 growing up and understanding my sexuality and navigating a homophobic world.”
The Proud Place is located on Sidney Street in Manchester.
You can see more pictures of it below:
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