Cara-Friend

28/10/2026

Cara-Friend’s “Dear Friend” project invites you to our first Q***r Oral History Workshop! Come along for some advice into conducting LGBTQIA+ oral histories and learn about the importance of gathering stories!
The workshop will be run by Tash Walker, who has extensive experience in conducting oral history interviews with LGBTQIA+ participants. Tash is the co-producer of Aunt Nell and co-author of The Log Books: Voices of Q***r Britain and the Helpline that Listened. In this workshop, they will be helping participants to understand how people can approach interviews with LGBTQIA+ participants to make sure that the experience is fulfilling for both the interviewer and interviewee.
This workshop was made possible with generous funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of Cara-Friend’s two-year heritage project: Dear Friend: Preserving and CelebratingLGBTQIA+ Heritage in Northern Ireland.
Spaces are limited! Please e-mail [email protected] to express interest and receive a sign-up link.

27/10/2026

The UK's First National Jewish LGBT+ Survey, from KeshetUK.

This survey aims to better understand the experiences, needs and perspectives of LGBT+ Jewish people in the UK. We are interested in understanding experiences of Jewish life, inclusion, belonging, wellbeing, community participation and the impact of recent events on LGBT+ Jews.

The findings will help inform future policy, programmes, services and community initiatives within the Jewish community and beyond. By taking part, you will help create an important evidence base that will contribute to a greater understanding of LGBT+ Jewish experiences in the UK.

The survey is open to people aged 18 or over in the UK who are both Jewish and LGBT+.

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

22/10/2026

Don't miss your chance to see the coming-of-age horror cult classic film ‘Jennifer’s Body'!

The film has picked up its iconic q***r following since its release with its themes of codependency and jealousy. We’re excited to show this horror comedy classic for our spooky special Halloween showing, and we hope to see you there for a fright!

Doors open at 6:30pm, film begins at 7pm.
The MAC, Factory Room (6th Floor) 28th of October.

Get your tickets now! 🏃‍♀️💨
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/jennifers-body-crystal-q***r-film-club-showing-tickets-2002949267176?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=truehttps://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/jennifers-body-crystal-q***r-film-club-showing-tickets-2002949267176?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

20/10/2026

We’re absolutely delighted to share that Cara-Friend has been nominated for the GNI Awards 2026!

These nominations are a wonderful recognition of the work we do to support LGBTQIA+ people across Northern Ireland, champion equality, and help create a world where everyone feels safe, accepted and free to be themselves.

We’re proud to be nominated in the following categories:

✨Inclusive Education & Advocacy Award

✨LGBTQIA+ Charity/Group of the Year

And the celebrations don’t stop there! Our very own Gemma Kelly, Education Coordinator at Cara-Friend, has also been nominated for the Community Champion Award!

We’re so grateful to everyone who supports our work, champions our community and helps us make a difference every day. These nominations mean so much to us!

✨PLEASE VOTE FOR CARA-FRIEND AND GEMMA! ✨

🗳️ Vote here: https://www.gnimag.com/awards

Voting closes at 5pm this Friday!

Thank you for your continued support, for believing in what we do, and for standing with us in championing LGBTQIA+ rights, visibility and inclusion.

Together, we can make a difference. 🏳️‍🌈​​❤️

16/10/2026

Cara-Friend Belfast Youth Halloween Party 🎃

Join us on the 29th of October for our Halloween party, costumes encouraged and prizes for best dressed!

Time: 6pm-9pm
Ages: 12-17

For anymore information about this event or Cara-Friend Belfast Youth contact [email protected]

29/09/2026

The Ban Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill passed its Second Stage!

The Ban Conversion Practices Coalition welcome the outcome of this key vote and will continue to lobby MLAs to see this Bill become law.

The Bill now moves to Committee stage, where the Committee for Communities currently has a Call for Evidence open until the 1st of October, seeking views on the proposed legislation. You can share your views via the Assembly's website.

24/09/2026

Dear Friends,



Some of you may have heard about Cara-Friend's new two-year heritage project - Dear Friend: Preserving and Celebrating LGBTQIA+ Heritage in Northern Ireland. This project seeks to explore the vibrant and diverse stories of those who engaged with Cara-Friend, the oldest and longest-running LGBTQIA+ charitable organisation on the island of Ireland.

Our previous project, Founding Cara-Friend, allowed for founding members and leading volunteers to tell their stories. We would love to hear yours, too. Did you ever engage with Cara-Friend's events from the 1970s to present? Were you a volunteer for a brief period of time? Were you a long-term service user? Were you well-connected in with the Cara-Friend volunteers - perhaps friends, lovers, or family?

All of your stories are valuable to us and we would love to give you the opportunity to contribute them to a living archive of Northern Irish LGBTQIA+ heritage. All audio-visual oral histories will be hosted on Cara-Friend's new "Voices of Cara-Friend" website.

We are particularly interested in women's stories, rural stories, immigrant/emigrant stories, and trans stories.

If you would like to contribute, please contact Dr Michael Lawrence via [email protected]

Yours,
Cara-Friend

16/09/2026

Introducing the BeYou Network — Cara-Friend’s LGBTQIA+ Youth Network for youth workers, organisations and young people across Northern Ireland.

The BeYou Network is here to connect youth workers, strengthen practice and make sure LGBTQIA+ young people’s voices are heard.

Through the Network, we’ll be offering:

• Online Network Meetings — Connect, share and support each other.
• Still Here Survey — Gathering the voices and experiences of LGBTQIA+ young people and youth workers.
• Youth Consultation — Creating spaces for young people to shape our work.
• Bespoke Sessional Work — Tailored sessions for your young people.
• LGBTQIA+ Training — Building confidence and knowledge across the youth work sector.
• Online Resource Hub — Sharing resources, tools and support for youth workers.
Plus so much more!

We want the BeYou Network to be shaped by you and your young people, so your involvement, ideas and feedback are hugely important.

If you’re a youth worker or organisation supporting LGBTQIA+ young people across Northern Ireland, we’d love to have you involved. Contact Niall at [email protected]

12/09/2026

Cara-Friend had a fantastic time today supporting Trans Pride 🏳️‍⚧️

We are so grateful to be apart of the first parade march and to all those who showed up to support the community!

From all Cara-Friend staff and service users, Happy Trans Pride 🫶🏻