Birmingham LGBT Centre is moving to a brand new centre in the heart of the Gay Village. To celebrate, we’re featuring staff and community members, the people who make our centre and village.
Chris he/him
Lead development officer, Substance support service
“I have worked at Birmingham LGBT since November 2017. Starting as a sessional worker, I soon became a full time team member within the sexual health team where my main focus was supporting people who engaged in chemsex.
Along with the support I provided I was able to deliver training sessions to professionals of the world of chemsex and look at ways that people could better gain support.
When the opportunity arose for Birmingham LGBT to provide more support for the community with wider drug and alcohol issues, I jumped at the opportunity to lead this service. I have now been the lead for the substance support service for the past 2 years.
In my personal life I am a lover of nature and the outdoors. Priding myself on my jungle themed garden. I also keep a large collection of unusual and exotic pets, which gives me great joy.”
I’m so proud to have joined the wonderful BLGBT Team in 2024. Working with everyone is an absolute pleasure and it’s a joy to contribute to the Birmingham community. As a lesbian whose sex education left a lot to wish for, helping others in taking care of their sexual wellbeing is very important to me.
At the centre, I offer sexual health testing and find fulfilment in supporting LGBTQ+ individuals during wellbeing sessions. If you’re enjoying a Thursday evening in the gay village, pop into the Fox. Chances are, you will stumble upon me and my colleagues at our drop-in clinic.
When I’m not working, you’ll find me wandering around art galleries, reading sapphic books, or in the front row at a Florence and the Machine concert, face covered with tears and glitter.
Kate she/her
Sexual Health Worker
Kate she/her
Sexual Health Worker
I’m so proud to have joined the wonderful BLGBT Team in 2024. Working with everyone is an absolute pleasure and it’s a joy to contribute to the Birmingham community. As a lesbian whose sex education left a lot to wish for, helping others in taking care of their sexual wellbeing is very important to me.
At the centre, I offer sexual health testing and find fulfilment in supporting LGBTQ+ individuals during wellbeing sessions. If you’re enjoying a Thursday evening in the gay village, pop into the Fox. Chances are, you will stumble upon me and my colleagues at our drop-in clinic.
When I’m not working, you’ll find me wandering around art galleries, reading sapphic books, or in the front row at a Florence and the Machine concert, face covered with tears and glitter.
Hussein (they/them
Volunteer team
I’m Hussein, I’m one of the volunteers at Birmingham LGBT centre meet and greet and community groups volunteer.
I do love to volunteer to be part of the community and give back to the community and get to know new people and to be inspired and inspires others.
The centre means a lot to me to be part of the community and have to the chance to get to know amazing people and to get to know people journeys.
The centre plays a vital role in bringing our community together and spreading awareness and support.
‘Hi! I’m one of the newer volunteers at Birmingham LGBT. You can usually find me behind the reception desk, welcoming people, answering questions, and engaged in the sisyphean task of organising our free condom and lube box.
I’ve only been here a short time, but volunteering with the centre has been a truly wonderful experience. It’s a place where to simply exist as me is not only tolerated, but genuinely encouraged. With no questions, no demand to defend or explain my identity, to justify my neurodivergence, or to change and downplay who I am for the comfort of others.
Far more than that, it’s a place where I can give a small piece of that acceptance and comfort to others. It’s a place where, in so many small ways, I can help… I can be useful. Here, in myriad small ways, I can help lift a community which has never failed to lift me. Stitched into the tapestry of mutual support that makes who we are so beautiful and so, so powerful.
Birmingham LGBT is somewhere I can fit, and it’s a privilege to volunteer with them.
Sloane they/them
Volunteer team
Sloane they/them
Volunteer team
‘Hi! I’m one of the newer volunteers at Birmingham LGBT. You can usually find me behind the reception desk, welcoming people, answering questions, and engaged in the sisyphean task of organising our free condom and lube box.
I’ve only been here a short time, but volunteering with the centre has been a truly wonderful experience. It’s a place where to simply exist as me is not only tolerated, but genuinely encouraged. With no questions, no demand to defend or explain my identity, to justify my neurodivergence, or to change and downplay who I am for the comfort of others.
Far more than that, it’s a place where I can give a small piece of that acceptance and comfort to others. It’s a place where, in so many small ways, I can help… I can be useful. Here, in myriad small ways, I can help lift a community which has never failed to lift me. Stitched into the tapestry of mutual support that makes who we are so beautiful and so, so powerful.
Birmingham LGBT is somewhere I can fit, and it’s a privilege to volunteer with them.
Nathan (he/him
Sexual Health Worker
Hello! I am Nathan, a sexual health worker at Birmingham LGBT. I provide assisted STI testing, instant HIV testing, and sexual health advice to the local LGBT+ community.
I like working for Birmingham LGBT because I feel my job has a purpose. Many people, especially LGBT+ people, are not given a comprehensive sex education growing up. Providing LGBT+ sexual health advice is essential in protecting your health and the health of your partner(s).
I joined Birmingham LGBT as an administrative volunteer 2 years ago. I found that the environment was lovely, both in terms of the staff and the clients. I didn’t have to worry about coming out like I have when working elsewhere. Everybody has been very nice and non-judgemental.
Outside of work, I am interested in a variety of music, philosophy, and reading non-fiction essays.
