Trans Pride Brighton has secured more than £120,000 in National Lottery funding to protect the future of its community centre, providing a major boost for the city's trans and non-binary community.
The organisation announced it has been awarded £121,278 from The National Lottery Community Fund, with the grant ringfenced to cover rent, utilities and volunteer training costs at the Trans Pride Centre over the next five years.
The funding secures the future of the centre, which serves as the headquarters for Trans Pride Brighton and a visible community hub in the city.
In a statement, the organisation described the award as “hugely positive news” for Brighton at a time when LGBTQ+ venues are disappearing at what it called “an alarming rate”.
The group said the centre is far more than an administrative base. “The Trans Pride Centre means everything to us,” the statement said. “More than just being our home base and storage for our many, many gazebos, flags and merch, this space is a beacon of visibility for the trans and non-binary people of Brighton.”
Trans Pride Brighton said the funding would ensure the centre can continue operating as a community resource and visible presence for trans and non-binary people in the city.
Announcing the award, Trans Pride Brighton said: “We have secured the future of the Trans Pride Centre. Thanks to The National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund, we have been awarded a grant of £121,278.”
The group added that the funding would keep “the rent paid, the lights on, and training for new volunteers covered for the next five years”.
Trans Pride Brighton also described the announcement as a source of optimism during a challenging period for LGBTQ+ communities.
“This good news is an important reminder that even in dark times, there is always support, there is always community, and there is always a glimmer of hope,” the organisation said.
The funding comes amid growing concern about the loss of LGBTQ+ venues and community spaces in Brighton and across the UK. Campaigners have increasingly warned that such spaces play a vital role in fostering community connections, visibility and support networks, particularly for marginalised groups.
Trans Pride Brighton said it would continue sharing updates about the centre and its wider work through its mailing list and community channels.
The Trans Pride Centre is expected to remain a focal point for the organisation’s activities, providing a permanent and secure base for one of the UK's largest trans-led Pride events and the wider transgender and non-binary community in Brighton & Hove.
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