Mason Moore | Hinckley Reporter | 31 May 2020

HINCKLEY’s very own pride group, LGBT+ Hinckley, are set to launch their new website on 1 June, so that it shall coincide with Pride month.

Once the website has launched on 1 June, LGBT+ Hinckley, it will help the group showcase their upcoming events, share local community members experiences and stories about coming out, and provide information about coming out and sexual health.

Since lockdown started in March, LGBT+ Hinckley have been hosting their very own online quizzes each weekend as well as virtual social meetings and they shall continue to do so.

The group have arranged to host a raffle which will see the money raised be split between LGBT+ Hinckley themselves and LGBT health charity, Trade Sexual Health, who are based in Leicester.

Throughout the month of June, tickets will go on sale for those who want to take part in the raffle.

Their chosen charity, Trade Sexual Health, promote sexual health as well as providing clinics in the Leicestershire and Rutland area. Trade Sexual Health work with members of the LGBT communities in these areas.

Group founder, Martin Bowie explained to the Hinckley Free Press that ‘the dreaded ‘C’ word [coronavirus] has put a stop to many of our events, however we are still very active’.

Martin Bowie spoke out about how the general reception was when the group first launched back in August 2017 was amongst the community.

Martin said: “We started out primarily as a place that was the yellow pages for local and national groups so people that were coming out could find the best help to suit them.

“Over time this idea has developed, and we are a big believer in community support. We have received many local coming out stories from the LGBTQ+ community since we first launched our original website.”

Martin explained that the group had been holding social gatherings so that members of the LGBT+ community could meet up in a safe place and socialise with their peers.

At one point, Martin was funding the group solely out of his own pocket, mind and heart. All of the funds were coming from him.

Recently, Martin enrolled two members to get on board and help him out with managing the group.

Martin is working with Jamie Attwood, who manages the community group’s social media channels and interacts with members, and Simon Lees, who co-ordinates both the group’s fundraising and events.

As Simon is now a part of the team, his role in the team has become increasingly important as the group now seek more funds so that they can become more of an active group, as well as a self-funded group.

The group are planning to host their very own le Mans style race using a racing simulator in an event that would last for a total of 24 hours.

However, the group have been hit with a roadblock in the process – just as group founder Martin has only just recovered from a broken ankle, the country has been placed in lockdown.

Because of this setback, the group are hoping for the race to take place by the end of the year.

You can check out the launch of the website on 1 June by visiting www.lgbthinckley.co.uk, following them on Twitter @LGBTHinckley and keeping up to date on Facebook by clicking here.