Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard is now delivering LGBTQ+ Gambling Harm Training through its Recover with Pride service. Taster, half-day, and full-day options are now available. Full details and PDFs: https://www.switchboard.org.uk/gambling-harm-training/

Today is Trans Day of Visibility. At Switchboard, we believe trans people deserve affirming community. Through our Trans, Non-binary, and Intersex Social Prescribing service and wider connection, we work to help people find spaces where they feel seen and included.

Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard is really pleased to share a new partnership with Gaydio. Through this partnership, Recover with Pride will raise awareness of gambling harms in LGBTQ+ communities to an audience of more than one million people nationwide.

Switchboard is turning 50 this year 🏳️‍🌈 We’re asking the community what Switchboard means to you, what we’re getting right, and what you’d like to see more of in the future. 8 questions • about 2 minutes Share it with others in the community 🔗 https://tally.so/r/kdZ7oj Closes 12 April at 11:59pm

Pleased to join the “Ending HIV Stigma and Getting to Zero” stakeholder event in Brighton & Hove. Hosted by Lunch Positive and The Martin Fisher Foundation, it gave Switchboard the chance to join interactive sessions and help shape future action on HIV stigma, prevention and support.

Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard is hiring a Domestic Abuse Outreach Worker in West Sussex to strengthen specialist support for LGBTQ+ people. Apply by Fri 27 March 2026. Interviews w/c 30 March. Details: https://www.switchboard.org.uk/were-hiring-lgbtq-domestic-abuse-outreach-worker-west-sussex/

Last call: 5pm on Wednesday 11th March 2026. Switchboard is recruiting for 3 roles to strengthen trauma-informed support for LGBTQ+ people across Sussex: Sexual Harm Support Worker, IDVA, and Domestic Abuse Outreach Worker (West Sussex). Details + apply: https://www.switchboard.org.uk/about/jobs/

Recover with Pride, the UK’s first dedicated LGBTQ+ gambling harm support programme, is recruiting Recovery Coaches. Help support LGBTQ+ people experiencing gambling harms and those affected by someone else’s gambling. Apply: https://reframecoaching.org.uk/careers/recovery-coach-recover-with-pride

Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard is recruiting for 3 roles to strengthen trauma-informed support for LGBTQ+ people across Sussex: Sexual Harm Support Worker, IDVA, and Domestic Abuse Outreach Worker (West Sussex). Details + apply: https://www.switchboard.org.uk/about/jobs/ Please share.

Only 2 days until our FREE WEBINAR on Understanding Gambling in LGBTQ+ Communities Join Recover with Pride for a national webinar exploring research, lived experience, and inclusive support pathways. 🗓️ Thu 5 March 2026 ⏱️ 10.00-12.00 Register here: www.bit.ly/understanding-gambling-harms-LGBTQ

Understanding Gambling in LGBTQ+ Communities. Join Recover with Pride for a national webinar exploring research, lived experience, and inclusive support pathways. 🗓️ Thursday 5 March 2026 ⏱️ 10.00-12.00 Register here: www.bit.ly/understanding-gambling-harms-LGBTQ

Switchboard has signed the Workplace Charter to Reduce Gambling Related Harms. We’re committing to safer workplaces, open conversations, and better support. Thank you to Beacon Counselling Trust and Nicola Jaques MBE for their guidance. This sits alongside our wider LGBTQ+ gambling harm work.

Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard’s Winter Wellness Day had simple aims: care, connection and practical support, all in one place, without pressure. Thank you to everyone who came along. Full post on our Facebook / Instagram / LinkedIn accounts.

Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard is recruiting for 3 roles to strengthen trauma-informed support for LGBTQ+ people across Sussex: Sexual Harm Support Worker, IDVA, and Domestic Abuse Outreach Worker (West Sussex). Details + apply: https://www.switchboard.org.uk/about/jobs/ Please share.

Mindful Crafts • Claudette Claudette will be running relaxed craft sessions at Switchboard’s Winter Wellness Day. A chance to sit down, focus your hands, and let your mind settle. No experience needed. Sat 21 Feb, 10am-4pm, The Ledward Centre. Everything is free.

Blood Pressure Checks • Helen Helen from the Switchboard BOLD team will be offering free blood pressure checks at Winter Wellness Day. A simple way to check in on your health without fuss. Sat 21 Feb, 10am-4pm, The Ledward Centre. Everything is free.

Testing shouldn’t feel intimidating. Dom from Terrence Higgins Trust South will be offering free rapid HIV testing at Switchboard’s Winter Wellness Day. Quick, confidential and handled with care. Sat 21 Feb, 10am-4pm, The Ledward Centre. Everything is free.

Reiki • Jan Jan will be offering Reiki sessions at the Winter Wellness Day. A gentle relaxation practice to help your body settle and your mind slow down. Sessions are calm, with a light-touch or no-touch approach depending on you. Sat 21 Feb, 10am-4pm, The Ledward Centre. All free.

The Jesus Deck • Michael Michael will be offering reflective card sessions at the Winter Wellness Day. These are not Tarot or fortune telling, but conversation-led readings designed to help you explore your story from a different perspective. Sat 21 Feb, 10am-4pm, The Ledward Centre. All free.

Aesop H Wellness • Rich Rich will be offering free head and shoulder seated massages at Switchboard’s Winter Wellness Day. A short, focused session to ease tension, release tight shoulders, and give you a moment to reset. Sat 21 Feb, 10am-4pm, The Ledward Centre. Everything is free.

Audiology Support • Patricia With over a decade of experience, Patricia is fully qualified, HCPC registered and DBS checked. She’ll be bringing her mobile ear wax removal service and can also help with hearing aids if needed. Sat 21 Feb, 10am-4pm, The Ledward Centre. Everything is free.

Tarot Readings • James & Lucie At Switchboard’s Winter Wellness Day, James and Lucie will be offering relaxed tabletop tarot readings throughout the day. A quiet moment to reflect, talk something through, or see things from a new angle. Sat 21 Feb, 10am-4pm, The Ledward Centre. Everything is free.

Lightning Like Scissors • Buck & Kaia At Switchboard’s Winter Wellness Day, Buck & Kaia will be offering free haircuts and styling rooted in queer care. An affirming, relaxed space to sit down, be yourself, and leave feeling more like you. Sat 21 Feb, 10-4pm The Ledward Centre. Everything is free.

Understanding Gambling in LGBTQ+ Communities. Join Recover with Pride for a national webinar exploring research, lived experience, and inclusive support pathways. 🗓️ Thursday 5 March 2026 ⏱️ 10.00-12.00 Register here: www.bit.ly/understanding-gambling-harms-LGBTQ

Lightning Like Scissors • Buck and Kaia Buck and Kaia will be offering free haircuts and styling throughout the day. Whether it’s a tidy-up or something new, it’s a relaxed space to sit down and feel a bit more like yourself. Sat 21 Feb, 10am-4pm, The Ledward Centre. Everything is free.

A warm meal can change the feel of a whole day. Lunch Positive will be serving freshly made hot meals and cake at Switchboard’s Winter Wellness Day. Drop in, take your time, and enjoy something nourishing. Sat 21 Feb, 10am-4pm, The Ledward Centre. Everything is free.

Switchboard’s Winter Wellness Day will have something to offer for everyone. Body Bits Brighton - Lou Thomas is offering free massage sessions. Lou works in a trauma-informed way, so you stay in control. Choose seated or table and take it at your pace. 21 Feb, The Ledward Centre. Everything free.

Switchboard Winter Wellness Day treat: private Beach Box Spa on Brighton seafront, Sat 21 Feb, 5pm-7pm. 2 hours on site with 90 mins sauna time, plus Rich Aesop offering drop-in massages. Beach Box Spa, Banjo Groyne BN2 1EN. Book free: https://bit.ly/beach-box-spa

We’re proud to lead Recover with Pride, the UK’s first dedicated LGBTQ+ gambling harm support programme. Working with Reframe Coaching and the University of Brighton, we’re creating trauma-informed, research-led support shaped by LGBTQ+ voices. Follow for updates and referral info.

Yesterday we welcomed Nicola Jaques MBE from Beacon Counselling Trust to deliver specialist training to our team. As we prepare to launch something new, we reviewed policies, strengthened our approach, and made sure everyone feels confident and informed. Full announcement at 12pm. Don’t miss it.

☕️ Switchboard coffee morning at The Breakfast Club Join us for Switchboard’s monthly coffee morning at The Breakfast Club in Brighton. A relaxed, social get-together in the city centre. 🗓️: Tuesday 10 February ⏰: 10am to 11:30am 📍: The Breakfast Club, 15-16 Market Street, Brighton BN1 1HH

LGBTQ+ History Month, and two bits of good news. 29 Jan: the High Court of England and Wales rejected a bid to bar trans people from Hampstead Heath ponds. 30 Jan: the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe backed a ban on conversion practices. Switchboard stands with trans communities.

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.