Young LGBT people in Manchester could soon be seeing the benefits of £25,000 in charity funds, if a fundraising event hits its target next weekend.
The Albert Kennedy Trust (AKT), which is based in the city’s Northern Quarter, helps homeless LGBT people under the age of 25 to find accommodation and supports them back into education or work.
The charity has seen a 179% increase in the need for its services since 2010, and are now putting on a ‘purple weekender’ in Manchester’s Gay Village in order to cope with demand and raise awarenesss.
The Village will go purple, with many bars going purple and providing entertainment.
Darren Batey, Volunteer events co-ordinator for the Albert Kennedy Trust and organiser of the ‘big purple weekender’, told MM: “There are 80,000 homeless people on the streets in Manchester and one in every four of them are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
“The need for our accommodation and support services is growing rapidly- we have between 60 and 80 cases to review every fortnight.
“This is why we have chosen to set up free community events across next weekend and turn the whole gay village purple, and have lots of events on.
“Our target is to raise £25,000 throughout the weekend which will be put straight back into supporting young people.”
The big purple weekend starts on Saturday 29 June at 12 and runs through the whole weekend, with all the bars in the Gay village holding events, as well as a ‘drag race’ and a ‘it’s a knockout competition.’
Darren added: “I hope that lots of people will come down to the village to show their support for AKT – don’t forget to don something purple too!”
For more information about the event, or to find out more about the Albert Kennedy Trust you can go to their website www.akt.org.uk
Picture courtesy of emilstefanov, with thanks.
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