Our ‘Founding Cara-Friend’ exhibit will be in display at QUB’s McClay Library for LGBTQIA+ History Month, honouring Cara-Friend long-standing links to QUB! The exhibit is open to all — just ask at the front desk and find the display of portraits and materials in front of the short loan section!
Cara-Friend were happy to join our sector partners, The Rainbow Project and HEReNI , and many other important organisations for the Cancer Champions'sLGBTQIA+ Cancer Information Café at @themacbelfast 🏳️🌈🎗️🏳️⚧️ #worldcancerday
Huge Congratulations to Our Own Gemma Kelly! Cara-Friend is incredibly proud to congratulate Gemma Kelly on winning the Motivation Award at this year’s GNI Awards! Gemma’s passion, commitment, and unwavering dedication to our community are truly inspiring. Gemma, we’re all so proud of you!
Cara-Friend invites you to this free online Volunteer Management training session. Delivered by NICVA, this is part of our LGBTQIA+ Capacity Building Project to nurture capabilities within LGBTQIA+ community groups. For the link to the training, contact: joanne.mcparland@cara-friend.org.uk
Cara-Friend staff had a fantastic time tonight at the @rainbowrefugeesni Halloween meet up! 🎃
Cara-Friend was delighted to attend the launch of a new research document into LGBTQIA+ experiences of domestic violence and abuse. This research will help inform public policy, and proves the need for adequate funding for the LGBTQIA+ sector to provide support for survivors.
A group of people standing together and smiling inside the Ulster University BC Building. The space has wooden panel architecture and multiple floors with open balconies. Behind the group are colorful banners displaying the Cara-Friend logo, and flags hanging along the balconies.
As part of this year’s Belfast Pride celebrations, we were proud to host the Cara-Friend Showcase on Tuesday 23 July at Ulster University – a wonderful afternoon celebrating 51 years of vital work by @cara-friend.bsky.social supporting the LGBTQIA+ community in Northern Ireland.
#Pride2025
Cara-Friend Pre-Pride Party! 🏳️🌈 We have a fantastic night with some amazing performances from Last Resort, Atlas, and Deadly Nightshade! A special shout-out to all of our wonderful volunteers and service users, our space would not be nearly as special without you! Happy Pride!
If you want to get involved with Cara-Friend as a business, youth, or schools volunteer you can contact us at admin@cara-friend.org.uk. We would love to have you on board! If you want to help us continue our vital work through a donation, you can do that here! localgiving.org/charity/cara...!
The Cara-Friend team has a fantastic showcase yesterday where we were able to talk about the fantastic work that our staff and volunteers do! Many thanks to @ulsteruni.bsky.social for hosting us, and to the fantastic Emer Maguire for her performance!
Congratulations to Pinsent Masons on winning the Pride Ally Business Award at Belfast Pride Awards 2025! Cara-Friend were proud to sponsor this award, and have our own Niall Crossey present it on the night. A huge congratulations and thank you to everyone nominated for your support to our community!
Make sure you don't miss out! Tickets are still available for our first ever Cara-Friend showcase this Wednesday ft. a performance by the wonderful Emer Maguire! Get your free tickets here!🔗https://tinyurl.com/4965e4v8
Interested in volunteering with Cara-Friend? This online session at 2pm on 24 July has all the information you need to get involved! From youth services, business training, and event management, we have so many opportunities for you to get involved with helping us deliver our services!
The hugely successful 'Founding Cara-Friend' exhibition will be hosted by the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland for the month of July! This exhibition features a selection of portraits and stories of some of the volunteers who worked to establish Cara-Friend in the 1970s and 1980s!
Please be advised that our offices will be closed from the 9th to 16th July inclusive! We look forward to seeing you again on the 17th!
Ready to quiet the chaos and find some inner peace? Join our online mindfulness session where stress takes a seat, resilience rises, and self-love steals the show 💖🧘 All identities and experiences are welcome!
Monday 21 July 2025 | 19:00 on Zoom. Please contact admin@cara-friend.org.uk for a link!
Thrilled to present a re-run of our Educating the Educators LGBTQIA+ Awareness Training for Belfast Pride Festival! Want to learn more about the LGBTQIA+ community and promote inclusion for all? E-mail our Education and Training Officer, Gemma (gemma.kelly@cara-friend.org.uk), for more information!
We are seeking to recruit a Community Engagement Officer to join our team! This post will have a key role in the Belfast LGBTQIA+ Community Engagement Project, funded by #PEACEPLUS, in partnership with The Rainbow Project and HereNI. For an application pack, please contact: admin@cara-friend.org.uk!
Join Cara-Friend on 23 July for our first ever Showcase event! We'll be looking at the essential work of Cara-Friend, and it'll be a great opportunity to learn about how to get involved! There'll also be a special guest appearance by Emer Maguire! Free tickets available here: tinyurl.com/4965e4v8!
Cara-Friend wishes to thank everyone at city council who made today possible, everyone involved in the design and installation of this beautiful window. Thanks also to Mary Ellen Campbell, who first proposed this new addition to City Hall during her tenure as Deputy Mayor of Belfast.
The struggle for equality and respect for LGBTQIA+ people has been a long and arduous one, and there is still much to achieve, but today was a positive milestone for Northern Ireland.
Lord Mayor of Belfast, Cllr. Micky Murray, welcomed those present and spoke powerfully about the importance of LGBTQIA+ representation in City Hall. Speaking on behalf of the sector, the Director of Here NI, Cara McCann, paid tribute to activists past and present.
Cara-Friend team members were delighted to attend the unveiling of a new LGBTQIA+ stained glass window today at Belfast City Hall.
If you would like more information on how your business can develop awareness and knowledge of the LGBTQIA+ community, including help to understand the steps for creating an inclusive workplace environment, then please contact joanne.mcparland@cara-friend.org.uk
Yesterday, Cara-Friend's Business Engagement & Training Manager gave two LGBTQIA+ Awareness Training sessions to NIE Networks. The training focused on understanding LGBTQIA+ terminology, factors impacting the community, developing professional practice, allyship, & creating an inclusive workplace.
This event will feature discussions with LGBTQIA+ community members of all ages, sharing their experiences, challenges, and hopes for the future. There will also be a Q&A and an opportunity to connect with others.
Tea & coffee on arrival.
Upcoming LGBTQIA+ Intergenerational Project
hosted by Perfectly Prideful, part of the Cara-Friend Regional Youth Network. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lgbtqia-intergenerational-event-tickets-1257983916759?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_campaign=postpublish&utm_medium=sparkpost&utm_source=email
Gemma shared information about Cara-Friend’s Youth Groups, the workshops we deliver in schools, and answered questions.
It was great to join our youth and education colleague, Olivia, from Common Youth.
Thank you to RCity for inviting us and putting on a great event!
Cara-Friend’s Education and Training Officer, Gemma, attended RCity’s Tackling Hate Crime Event in the Shankill Spectrum Centre last night. She enjoyed chatting to many young people about respect, inclusion, diversity and kindness.
If you would like more information about our Belfast Youth Services, contact ryan.johnston@cara-friend.org.uk
If you would like more information about our schools work, contact gemma.kelly@cara-friend.org.uk
