Anchor Hanover’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Group

Anchor Hanover’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Advisory Group (LGBT+) was set up as a direct result of listening to our customers.

The group aims to tackle concerns that moving into sheltered housing or a care home as an older LGBT+ person may be a lonely or isolating experience.

The LGBT+ group is open to Anchor Hanover LGBT+ customers and the members act as a sounding board on LGBT+ issues and policies.

The advisory group will act in an advisory capacity to:

• Act as a peer support group for Anchor Hanover LGBT+ customers
• Act as a sounding board on LGBT+ issues
• Support the organisation to deliver inclusive services for LGBT+ customers
• Challenge the organisation and the way Anchor Hanover meets its regulatory obligations, the quality of overall service delivery and meeting customer expectations

Meetings

The LGBT+ group meets 3 times a year in different venues around the country to discuss a range of topics. 

Meetings can involve the group advising Anchor Hanover on policies or helping to write staff guidance notes, responding to issues in the wider LGBT+ community, and often feature guest speakers. Speakers have covered topics including; Living in care as an older LGBT+ person, Cultural and religious beliefs, and Living with HIV.

Members of the LBGT+ group work closely with a number of other housing organisations including Stonewall Housing, Tenant Participation Advisory Service and the Chartered Institute of Housing, to help share best practice and have been involved in establishing a national practice network for LGBT issues in housing. In 2013 the group helped Stonewall Housing to produce The North West Housing Guide for the older LGBT community which aims to support the Greater Manchester LGBT+ community when considering their housing options. 

Keeping in touch

The LGBT+ group have set up a confidential Facebook page to allow members to keep in touch and offer support where needed between meetings. Members can choose to receive communications via email or share their phone numbers if preferred. All communications are sent on a closed-register basis, meaning name and contact details for members are never included on mail-outs or emails to other people.

Find out more

The LGBT+ group helps to make Anchor Hanover a more informed organisation and as a result we are able to create more inclusive policies that offer better support to our staff and help us ensure all our LGBT+ customers live happily with us.

New members are always welcome and posters are displayed in local Anchor Hanover locations and offices when a meeting is being held nearby.

To find out when the next meeting will be held near you, or for more information about joining Anchor Hanover's LGBT+ group, you can contact the group directly at [email protected].