From #RainbowBedfordshire to Rainbow Bedfordshire Events C.I.C – A biography

#RainbowBedfordshire began in 2019, as an ELFT People Participation project. Over the following 3 years it grew with the support of the Trust LGBTQ+ Staff Network. Our original purpose was to tackle the gaps in services to increase support for LGBTQ+ people. But also noted the lack of LGBTQ+ visibility in Bedford.

Service improvement 2019-2022

Our original steering group consisted of ELFT service users/carers, staff, and representatives from local organisations. We campaigned for staff rainbow lanyards and gender-neutral toilets. We addressed issues on inpatient wards with a co-produced transgender policy. This was followed up by regular feedback gathered from people on working and staying on inpatient wards, and a co-produced training package, which was rolled out over 2021-2022, through the Trust and BLMK Integrated Care Board.  The steering group co-produced leaflets and resources for LGBTQ+ people. We worked with CAMHS to produce training and podcasts, and we were awarded Project of The Year at the People Participation Awards.

To address the lack of visibility locally, named by steering group members, we launched #Rainbow Bedfordshire at a local café. Three weeks later the nation was in lockdown and our work was paused. In June 2020, we began meeting online, and working with Bedford and Luton Recovery College to facilitate Being me, an LGBTQ+ peer support and discussion group.

2022

We successfully applied for an ELFT Innovation fund granst to set up an LGBTQ+ Trans Inclusive Swimming Club. 

Craftivism group at the Higgins Museum in Bedford. 

Trans and non-binary clothes swap  at the Recovery College,

The support of Richard Harwin and David Stevens in helping us find storage for the clothes for this project was invaluable.

With the support of the two LGBTQ+ Staff Network Leads for Beds and Luton we organised an Arts and Wellbeing Festival at the University of Bedfordshire in late Autumn. This connected ELFT, third sector organisations, local businesses, and members of local communities.

2023

In June we were incorporated as Rainbow Bedfordshire Events C.I.C, A business model where there are no shareholders, the company is owned and overseen by community members.

We were aided by the BeActive Movement Fund to hold Trans and Non-Binary Multi-sports sessions. 

2024

We were awarded National Lottery funding to cover the continuation of our existing community work.

With a start-up grant from the Beaumont Society we set up a support group for parents of trans people. 

We held two 2 fundraiser quiz nights, and started a crowdfunder. This is still open

We hosted Bedford’s FIRST PRIDE with sponsorship from the Harpur Trust, and Bedford College.

We began working with local Inclusive Churches to celebrate Pride Month and Trans Day of Remembrance.

We began discussing a Community Partner Scheme to acknowledge the support of local businesses who regularly host us, or have fundraised for us.

At the request of our membership Rainbow Bedfordshire Events currently provide the following activities for the local community

•    3 swims and 2 sports sessions a month
•    Pop-up arts and craft workshops led by local artists
•    Fortnightly singing groups
•    A Monthly movie night and online LGBTQ+ social group
•    Trans parent support group.

Organised trips to Pride Events and other LGBTQ+ focussed exhibitions e.g Queer Britain and The Museum of Transology.

From the seeds of an idea between two service users (Mack Mclean and Pat Moyce) and a People Participation Lead (Kamila Naseova), into the roots of a steering group,  #Rainbow Bedfordshire not only impacted services, but have flourished into a self-sustaining C.I.C which has becomes a visible, thriving LGBTQ+ community in Bedford and beyond. The impact on a community’s wellbeing this initiative has brought about has been phenomenal.

Email info@rainbowbedfordshrie.co.uk  
Website www.rainbowbedfordshire.co.uk 
Instagram @rainbowbedfordshire