Newry Rainbow Community
Newry Rainbow Community exists to benefit the LGBTQ community in and around Newry in Northern Ireland. It offers a drop-in centre and a variety of services and other activities. The charity aims to provide friendship and support, and aims to lessen the isolation and stigma felt by people in the LGBTQ community.
The Foundation’s grant went towards the rent of its drop-in centre. This was awarded for a two-year period from October 2014, and since then it has moved to more prominent premises in the centre of the town which also have extra space and facilities. Whilst moving, normal services and activities continued to run, and have since been expanded. The charity supported the annual Pride festival and parade in 2015 which has been the biggest yet, and feels that overall “things have really changed for the better in the lives of the local LGBTQ community in Newry compared to even a few years ago”.
