February is LGBTQ+ History Month. As Switchboard marks 50 years, we’re sharing milestones from the last half century of LGBTQ+ history and the progress and resilience that shaped our community.

Winter can feel long, especially if you’ve been feeling cut off or low. Winter Wellness Day is a free, gentle drop-in wellbeing day for LGBTQ+ people. Hot food, a calm space, and optional support. Come and go at your own pace.

At Switchboard, we hear how constant gambling ads affect LGBTQ+ people. You can support action by writing to your MP. It takes less than one minute: https://cega.org.uk/#write-mp#write-mp Every letter helps push for change.

Switchboard has joined the Coalition to End Gambling Ads. We’re the first LGBTQ+ charity to join. “I’ve seen first-hand how relentless & predatory gambling advertising can be.” - Benjamin Howard - Gambling Harms Service Manager We’re proud to stand with this campaign. Find out more: cega.org.uk

Choosing Switchboard for LGBTQ+ inclusion training means investing in your own team and in wider LGBTQ+ community work. Our trainers bring lived experience, and your fee helps sustain our projects. To find out more, contact [email protected] or visit www.bit.ly/TrainWithPurpose

Blue Monday is often called the worst day of the year, but there’s no scientific basis for it. Winter can still feel heavy. We at Switchboard believe mental health deserves care every day. If today feels hard, small supports matter. Reach out to someone you trust.

The ripple effect of training shows in new habits and decisions. Our sessions are designed to lead to concrete changes in language, forms and practice. "It gave us practical steps we could start using immediately." To talk about training for your team, contact [email protected]

Inclusive care is not just policy. It is how patients feel. Our training helps care teams with language, pronouns and interactions so LGBTQ+ people feel safer using services. “I feel more confident offering care that fits people’s lives.” [email protected] - bit.ly/TrainWithPurpose

New Year’s resolution idea: do something good for your community. Volunteer with Switchboard and support LGBTQ+ people across Brighton & Hove and Sussex. Induction is at the end of January. Training on 25th Jan 2026 Register interest: www.bit.ly/join-switchboard

Closing out the festive season at Switchboard with a look back. December can be joyful, but it can also feel lonely. So we made space for ways to connect: coastal walks, gentle park walk with horses, plus gingerbread making & Christmas ornament decorating. Find out more us [email protected]

🥳 Happy New Year from all of us at Switchboard ❤️ As the year begins, we’re holding our community close – everyone we support, everyone who supports us, and everyone who shows up with care and kindness. Whatever this year brings, you’re not alone. We’re here, and we’ll keep walking forward together.

Final day. Until midnight tonight (31 Dec), Aviva match funding can double your first donation to our IRIS Crowdfunder. IRIS supports LGBTQ+ refugees, migrants and people seeking asylum with specialist 1 to 1 support and safer community spaces. Donate or share: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-lg...

2 days left. Donate by 31 Dec and Aviva match funding can double your first donation (while it lasts). It’s hard to settle when you feel unsafe. IRIS helps LGBTQ+ migrants feel steadier, day by day. Donate: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-lg... Up to £250. T&Cs apply.

3 days left. Until 31 Dec, Aviva match funding can double your first donation to our IRIS Crowdfunder (while it lasts). Safety is the start, not the finish. Help LGBTQ+ refugees rebuild life and confidence. www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-lg... Up to £250. T&Cs apply.

Post-Christmas Walk and Coffee ☕️ If the festive period’s been a bit full on, this is your gentle reset. Fresh air and a chat. Monday 29 Dec, 10am Walk Rottingdean to Saltdean for coffee and cake, then back. 📍 Meet Chris behind the White Horses Hotel, Rottingdean Everyone is welcome. Just turn up

4 days left. Until 31 Dec, donations to our IRIS Crowdfunder can be match funded by Aviva, so your gift can go twice as far. For LGBTQ+ asylum seekers, trust takes time. IRIS builds it through consistent specialist support. www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-lg... First donation up to £250. T&Cs apply.

5 days left. Until 31 Dec, donations to our IRIS Crowdfunder can be match funded by Aviva, so your gift can go twice as far (while it lasts). When you find refuge in a new country, everything is harder. Help LGBTQ+ migrants feel less lost: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-lg... T&Cs apply.

6 days left. Until 31 Dec, Aviva match funding can double your first donation to our IRIS Crowdfunder (up to £250, while it lasts). LGBTQ+ refugees deserve support that understands identity and trauma. Donate: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-lg... Terms apply.

The festive season isn’t joyful for everyone. If this time of year brings stress, loneliness, grief, or anxiety, you’re not alone. Our partners UOK can help you find mental health support that feels right. www.uok.org.uk/services/

7 days left to double your impact. Until 31 Dec, Aviva can match donations to our IRIS Crowdfunder. Seeking asylum can be isolating, especially for LGBTQ+ people. IRIS helps people connect and breathe again. www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-lg... First donation only, up to £250. T&Cs apply.

8 days left to double your impact. Until 31 Dec, Aviva can match donations to our IRIS Crowdfunder (while funds last). IRIS supports LGBTQ+ refugees, migrants and people seeking asylum. Donate: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-lg... First donation only, up to £250. T&Cs apply.

Pre-Christmas Walk Out with Guinness 🐴 📍 Stanmer Park 🗓 Tue 23 Dec 🕚 11am–1pm A gentle festive wander led by Guinness, Claudette’s much-loved horse, plus friends. Email to join: [email protected] – FAO Claudette 🍐

Making equality duties real in day-to-day work is not always easy. Our LGBTQ+ Inclusion Training helps teams turn policies into practical habits. “It turned our policy into actions I can actually take.” To discuss training, email [email protected] or visit www.bit.ly/TrainWithPurpose

International Migrants Day. Support LGBTQ+ refugees through IRIS. Donations made now to February are matched by Aviva, doubling impact. https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-lgbtq-asylum-seekers

New Year’s resolution idea: do something good for your community. Volunteer with Switchboard and support LGBTQ+ people across Brighton & Hove and Sussex. Induction is at the end of January. Register interest: www.bit.ly/join-switchboard

Now is the time to invest in LGBTQ+ inclusion, not when life feels less busy. Our training links the climate to everyday practice so staff know why this matters and what to do in their role. “It helped me see why we cannot wait.” [email protected] or www.bit.ly/TrainWithPurpose

Our free 30 minute online LGBTQ+ inclusion conversation takes place today at 12.30pm. If you’d like to join us, there is still time to book this morning. Email [email protected], or book your free spot directly here: https://bit.ly/inclusion-training-intro

Hesitation can quietly block LGBTQ+ inclusion. On Mon 15 Dec at 12.30pm we’re hosting From Hesitation to Confidence, a free 30 min online session on simple ways to feel more confident. Email [email protected] or book your free spot: https://bit.ly/inclusion-training-intro

Inclusion works best when it’s shared. On Mon 15 Dec at 12.30pm we’re hosting Inclusion, Done Together, a free 30 min online session on how teams can support each other with LGBTQ+ inclusion. Email [email protected] or book your free spot: https://bit.ly/inclusion-training-intro

Hesitation, not hostility, often gets in the way of LGBTQ+ inclusion. Mon 15 Dec at 12.30pm we’re hosting Creating Confidence, a free 30 min online session for anyone wanting to feel steadier in everyday conversations. Email [email protected] or book https://bit.ly/inclusion-training-intro

Nobody gets inclusion right every time. What matters is how we respond. Our training offers simple ways to apologise, correct and grow together. “I feel less afraid of getting it wrong and more ready to try.” [email protected] or www.bit.ly/TrainWithPurpose

We’re hosting Let’s Talk Inclusion on Mon 15 Dec at 12.30pm, a free 30 minute online conversation about what helps LGBTQ+ inclusion and what gets in the way. If you’d like to join you can email [email protected] or book your free spot directly here: https://bit.ly/inclusion-training-intro

Day 15 of 16 Days of Activism focuses on LGBTQ+ sex workers and violence. Sex workers often face abuse from partners, clients or others, while stigma makes it harder to seek support. If you are in Sussex and need help, email [email protected] or visit www.bit.ly/SwitchboardDA

Hesitation can quietly block LGBTQ+ inclusion, even in teams that care. Our training helps staff name and move past their fears so real conversations can happen. “It helped me move from feeling stuck to taking action.” - Contact [email protected] or visit www.bit.ly/TrainWithPurpose

Day 14 of 16 Days of Activism is about trans women and domestic abuse. Trans women face very high rates of violence and identity based abuse. In Sussex and need support? Email [email protected] or visit https://bit.ly/SwitchboardDA

Day 13 of 16 Days of Activism highlights HERSANA, a by-and-for Black femme organisation supporting survivors of gender based violence. If you are LGBTQ+ in Sussex and need support, email [email protected] or visit www.bit.ly/SwitchboardDA and for HERSANA visit www.hersana.org

Day 12 of 16 Days of Activism focuses on neurodivergent LGBTQ+ people & domestic abuse. Sensory needs, routines and communication differences can be used to control or isolate someone. If you are in Sussex & need support, email [email protected] or visit https://bit.ly/SwitchboardDA

Day 11 of 16 Days of Activism challenges myths about domestic abuse in LGBTQ+ relationships, including the idea it only counts if there is physical violence. If you are in Sussex and something feels wrong, email [email protected] or visit https://bit.ly/SwitchboardDA

Day 10 of 16 Days of Activism highlights Cranstoun, who work with people using abusive behaviour and support survivors. If you are LGBTQ+ in Sussex and need support, email [email protected] or visit https://bit.ly/SwitchboardDA. Cranstoun: https://cranstoun.org

🌈 Help us support LGBTQ+ refugees, migrants and people seeking asylum through IRIS at Switchboard. We are partnering with the brilliant drag sensation Ophelia Payne, IRIS Crowdfunder Ambassador. Please donate and share: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-lgbtq-asylum-seekers

Day 9 of 16 Days of Activism highlights Galop, an organisation supporting LGBTQ+ people facing domestic abuse and hate crime. If you are in Sussex and need support, email [email protected] or visit https://bit.ly/SwitchboardDA - to contact Galop visit https://www.galop.org.uk

Day 8 of 16 Days of Activism highlights Loving Me, a by-and-for refuge for trans, non binary and intersex survivors of domestic abuse. If you are in Sussex and need support, email [email protected] or visit https://bit.ly/SwitchboardDA - and to contact Loving Me visit www.lovingme.uk

World AIDS Day and Day 7 of 16 Days of Activism highlight how HIV stigma can be used to control or isolate people in abusive relationships. If you are LGBTQ+, living with HIV in Sussex and need support, email [email protected] or visit https://bit.ly/SwitchboardDA.

On World AIDS Day we stand with everyone living with HIV and we remember those we have lost, whose lives and love shaped our community. Switchboard remains committed to challenging stigma and creating a future where everyone living with HIV feels safe and respected. #WorldAIDSDay #HIVAwareness

Day 6 of 16 Days of Activism highlights older LGBTQ+ people who may be experiencing domestic abuse. If you are in Sussex and worried about your situation, contact our Domestic Abuse Team at [email protected] or visit https://bit.ly/SwitchboardDA

Day 5 highlights disabled LGBTQ+ people and how disability and domestic abuse can intersect. Disabled LGBTQ+ survivors often face extra barriers to getting support. If you are in Sussex, contact our Domestic Abuse Team at [email protected] or visit https://bit.ly/SwitchboardDA.

Day 4 of 16 Days of Activism focuses on familial abuse, when harm comes from family members instead of home feeling safe. For some LGBTQ+ people this is their reality. Our Domestic Abuse Team can offer confidential guidance at [email protected] or visit https://bit.ly/SwitchboardDA

Day 3 of 16 Days of Activism looks at how to support a friend when something does not feel right at home. Listen, believe them and avoid putting pressure on them to leave. For guidance you can email [email protected] or visit https://bit.ly/SwitchboardDA

Inclusion becomes real in the small moments, not just in documents. Our training explores everyday interactions in services and workplaces so staff can see where LGBTQ+ people might feel excluded and how to change that. To talk about training, contact [email protected].

Day 2 of 16 Days of Activism: Switchboard’s LGBTQ+ Domestic Abuse Service exists so LGBTQ+ survivors in Sussex do not fall through gaps in mainstream support. We offer 1 to 1 support, safety planning, advocacy and referrals. Email [email protected] #16Days #LGBTQ+