A charity supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and non-binary people in the Tees Valley is celebrating the tenth anniversary of one of its key projects. Hannah Chapman reports

HART Gables started life as a community group back in 1997, and became a registered charity nine years later. From those humble beginnings it has grown year by year and now supports hundreds of people across Teesside and the North-East.

It has a diverse team of professionals and volunteers who work to make sure the LGBT+ community has access to services and support, tackling issues including hate crime, same sex domestic abuse, education, poverty and financial inclusion, health, and community cohesion. 

Andy Towers, LGBT development worker at Hart Gables, says things have improved for the community in recent years, but there is much more still to be done.

He says: “We’ve made leaps and bounds in terms of rights and acceptance in the last few decades, but LGBT+ people still face a great deal of marginalisation, discrimination and even violence, and are particularly affected by mental health difficulties and social isolation.”  

Hart Gables runs two social groups in Hartlepool and Middlesbrough, co-facilitates a youth group in Hartlepool to help people feel less isolated, and offers one-to-one support where needed.

For ten years, it has provided specialist support services for trans and non-binary people struggling with the obstacles involved in gender transition.  

Andy says: “Transition can be a difficult and distressing time, with many social, mental and physical challenges. 

“Our staff members know this from first-hand experience, and how important it can be to talk to someone who’s been through the same thing. 

“Our trans group, known as T-Time, is a place for trans and non-binary people to meet, connect and feel less alone on their journey.”

To mark the tenth anniversary of Hart Gables’ trans project, the scheme has been renamed and relaunched as TransKIND.

Andy says this is in part to let people across the North-East know the charity is here to support them.

“Our focus is on providing a friendly, professional and, above all, kind and compassionate, service for local trans people of all ages,” he says. 

“In the coming months, we will be welcoming new service users to our T-Time group, to come and spend time in a safe and relaxed environment free of hatred or discrimination, where they can express themselves and take part in enriching activities such as art projects, creative writing and cooking.  

“Our two dedicated trans-identifying staff members will be on hand to listen and support from a position of experience and empathy.”

THE charity has recently employed an onsite mental health worker to help support and alleviate pressure from local mental health organisations, and to help build a better and more accessible set of services for the trans and non-binary community.

On April 6, it will launch a new project called Behind the Eyes, which aims to improve emotional wellbeing in young LGBT people. A recent study at Hart Gables found that a high percentage of young LGBT people accessing its services suffer from poor mental health.

Other ongoing projects include helping Cleveland Police to improve the reporting process for victims of LGBT hate crimes by encouraging victims of recent homophobic, biphobic or transphobic incidents to talk about their experiences with the authorities. 

Anyone who has been a victim but who hasn’t reported the incident is also urged to get in touch – anonymously if needs be – so the charity can find out the reasons why police were not informed.

JACK Cummins, trans development worker at Hart Gables, describes the project’s mission statement perfectly when he says: “There are seven billion people on this planet and they all express their gender identity differently. 

“It’s no wonder people sometimes get it wrong. It’s our job to help them get it right.”

And Andy adds: “Trans and non-binary people are first and foremost people. And they deserve the same respect as everyone else.”