Manchester Pride, one of the UK’s leading LGBTQ+ charities, has distributed over £12,000 worth of grants to 15 successful organisations since December 2022, funded by the Manchester Pride Community Fund.
The fund supports grassroots community groups and organisations that work towards improving the quality of life and well-being of LGBTQ+ people in Greater Manchester. Every penny donated to the Manchester Pride Community Fund goes directly to supporting LGBTQ+ causes and projects in Greater Manchester.
Successful projects funded by the Manchester Pride Community Grant include Trans Creative, who were awarded a grant to support their application to become a registered charity. Proud2bParents, an inclusive organisation for all routes to parenthood, received funding to develop LGBTQ+ children’s book bags. The Gaydio Academy, a not-for-profit LGBTQ+ organisation supporting people through educational, skills-based and confidence-building training and support, will use the funding to host a one-off radio forum, in which gender-diverse people will be invited to the studios to discuss and explore trans issues and concerns.
Other organisations who benefitted from the funding include the Manchester Proud Chorus, an inclusive community choir, who received a grant to buy a new piano for performances, and TINY’s Barbershop, an inclusive barber shop based in Sale, who will be offering half price gender affirming haircuts to young trans, non-binary, and other queer people questioning their gender identity and presentation. TINY’s Barbershop will also be providing gift bags that contain information about how to support a young trans/non-binary person for parents, and where to find support for trans/non-binary young people.
Charlotte ‘Chip’ Matthews, founder of TINY’s Barbershop, said: “As a queer woman with short hair that has been turned away from some shops and at times misgendered, I found that many places can be listed as LGBTQ+ friendly, but more LGBTQ+ encouraging spaces are needed, and I opened TINY’s with that idea in mind.
“Since opening the shop in 2022, I’ve had so much positive feedback from customers on the attention we pay to their needs beyond a haircut. We take the time as mental health trained staff to listen to their needs, creating a safe space to open a dialogue about their pronouns, their gender identity and increasing their understanding. One of our key focuses is taking the time for a full consultation, so our customers can articulate what they want from a haircut to reflect their identity. It also gives them the confidence to articulate what they want in the future.
“We first heard about the Manchester Pride Community Fund through a customer. We were discussing the unique needs of my customers and how a grant could support creating more information for them.
“As a lot of parents reach out to me to bring their children to the shop, we’ve become a bit of an information hub! At times we facilitate the conversation in a healthy way for parents who want to best support their children but sometimes aren’t sure how to approach the subject. The information packs the grant will help us to produce will go a long way in educating and supporting families and their non-binary and trans loved ones.
“The grant has come at such a vital time for the business. With the cost of living crisis, the grant means that we’re able to invest in the project, increasing awareness of TINY’s as a truly safe space for people who are looking to grow confidence in their identity.”
The full list of the 15 successful projects that received a grant from the Manchester Pride Community Fund between December 2022 and March 2023 includes:
Trans Creative: £1,000
Proud2bParents: £1,000
Gaydio Academy: £1,000
Bi-Topia: £1,000
YDSA Events: £1,000
Part Fish: £1,000
Mehfil: £1,000
Ladyfriends: £1,000
To Whom it May Concern: £1,000
Tranuary: £1,000
MycoManchester CIC: £974
Manchester Proud Chorus: £599.99
Box of Tricks Theatre Company: £500
International Ballroom Community: £500
TINY’s Barbershop: £400
Further information on each of these organisations can be found HERE
Mark Fletcher, CEO of Manchester Pride, said: “We are thrilled to support these amazing projects that work towards improving the quality of life and well-being of the LGBTQ+ community in Manchester.
“We encourage LGBTQ+ organisations to apply for funding, as our Superbia Queer Arts Fund and Manchester Pride Community Fund are open year-round and offer support to initiatives that benefit the community.”
For more information on the Manchester Pride Community Fund, the Superbia Queer Arts Fund, and how you can apply, please visit: www.manchesterpride.com/grants
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