Happy birthday forum+: Two decades of love and support
'Huge progress has been made but there is no doubt there is much more work to be done'
Thursday, 13th October 2022 — By Frankie Lister-Fell
Aga Waiflo, John Garces and Carol-Ann McArdle join the celebrations [Aga Waiflo]
AN organisation committed to supporting and campaigning for Camden and Islington’s LGBTQ+ celebrated its 20th birthday.
Members and supporters of forum+ helped cut the cake at The Pirate Castle in Camden Town last Thursday.
Its outreach work includes signposting information about reporting hate crimes to people at cruising spots, and social events like film clubs.
Director Tessa Havers-Strong told attendees she joined forum+ in 2007 after working as a nurse.
“It’s the longest job I’ve ever been in – 15 years this month, and it only seems like yesterday when it first started,” adding: “I absolutely love this place.”
Dan Lobo and Sara del Marro
She read out a message from co-founder Simon Luscombe who said to laughter: “In July 2002 [another co-founder] Hillary Wears talked at me while I was on a date and explained I needed to set up the forum. I was 22. I thought it was a terrible idea. But she was right.
“I learned we could change minds; we could really keep people safe and courtesy of John Beason, I learned where the spanking bench was on Hampstead Heath.”
Charles Dean, Cllr Rishi Madlani, Tessa Havers-Strong, Cllr Adam Harrison and Cllr Georgia Gould
Charles Dean, chair of trustees told the New Journal that LGBTQ+ hate crimes have decreased in Camden and Islington since he joined forum+ as a volunteer in 2016.
“We used to have a lot more referrals for hate crimes than we do now. In that sense, things have gotten better,” he said.
“Nowadays we get a lot more low-level antisocial behaviour like name calling.
“I didn’t come out as gay until I was 30. Had I thought I would get a good hearing, I would have come out a lot earlier but in those days it was less favourably received and the media was a bit down on it.” He added: “So lots has changed over the last 20 years.”
Zack Polanksi, Aoife O’Sullivan, Val Remy and Tessa Havers-Strong
He thanked the councils for their contribution and said “without their support we couldn’t do half the outreach we’re able to do”.
Cllr Rishi Madlani, who is Camden’s LGBT champion, said: “Huge progress has been made but there is no doubt there is much more work to be done.”