🌈 Happy Pride!
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First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the poor, and I did not speak out
Because I was not poor.
Then they came for the immigrants, and the refugees, the war-torn, the displaced and the dispossessed, and I did not speak out
Because I was not an immigrant, I was not a refugee, I was not war-torn, displaced, or dispossessed.
Then they came for the Disabled people, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a Disabled person.
Then they came for the Gay men, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a Gay man.
Then they came for the Lesbians, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a Lesbian.
Then they came for the Bisexuals and the Pansexuals, and I did not speak out
Because I was not Bisexual or Pansexual.
Then they came for the Trans people, and the Non-Binary people, and I did not speak out
Because I was not Trans or Non-Binary.
Then they came for the Gypsies, the Roma, the Travellers, and I did not speak out
Because I was not Gypsy, Roma or a Traveller.
Then they came for the Black people, the African people, the Indian people, the Asian people, the Native Americans, the Indigenous people, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a Black person, or an African person, or an Indian person, or an Asian person, or a Native American person, or an Indigenous person.
Then they came for the Muslims, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a Muslim.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me — and there was noone. left. to speak. for me.
Stephe Meloy 2021
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out Because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out Because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the poor, and I did not speak out Because I was not poor. Then they came for the immigrants, and the refugees, the war-torn, the displaced and the dispossessed, and I did not speak out Because I was not an immigrant, I was not a refugee, I was not war-torn, displaced, or dispossessed. Then they came for the Disabled people, and I did not speak out Because I was not a Disabled person. Then they came for the Gay men, and I did not speak out Because I was not a Gay man. Then they came for the Lesbians, and I did not speak out Because I was not a Lesbian. Then they came for the Bisexuals and the Pansexuals, and I did not speak out Because I was not Bisexual or Pansexual. Then they came for the Trans people, and the Non-Binary people, and I did not speak out Because I was not Trans or Non-Binary. Then they came for the Gypsies, the Roma, the Travellers, and I did not speak out Because I was not Gypsy, Roma or a Traveller. Then they came for the Black people, the African people, the Indian people, the Asian people, the Native Americans, the Indigenous people, and I did not speak out Because I was not a Black person, or an African person, or an Indian person, or an Asian person, or a Native American person, or an Indigenous person. Then they came for the Muslims, and I did not speak out Because I was not a Muslim. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me — and there was noone. left. to speak. for me. Stephe Meloy 2021
This list compiled by Vicky Foxcroft MP’s office
• Samaritans – call: 116 123, text: 07725 90 90 90 or email jo@samaritans.org
• Further advice if you or someone you know needs mental health support: https://lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/socialcare/health/mental-health/get-help-with-mental-health
• Childline – counselling and advice for under 19s – 0800 1111 www.childline.org.uk
• National Domestic Violence Helpline – 0808 2000 247 www.refuge.org.uk
• Lewisham Homes out-of-hours repairs team – 0800 028 2028
• Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network – 020 8694 0323 www.lrmn.org.uk
• Thames Water emergency number – 0800 316 9800
• British Gas emergency number – 0800 111 999
If you have become homeless:
• Streetlink on 0300 500 0914 or https://www.streetlink.london/Streetlink_London_HomePage
• No Second Night Out – 0870 383 3333
• 999 Club – 0208 694 5797
• Shelter – 0808 800 4444
Useful helplines for connecting this Christmas:
* Switchboard, a charity which operates a confidential helpline for LGBTQ+ communities across the UK, will be open over Christmas. Call 0300 330 0630 between 10am–10pm.
* If you need help accessing food, medicines or social connection over Christmas, contact NHS Volunteer Responders on 0808 196 3646. (England only.)
* The Samaritans helpline runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 116 123 for free.
* If you prefer contacting someone via text, text SHOUT on 85258, which is a confidential 24/7 text service offering support if you are in crisis and need immediate help.
* Eating disorder charity Beat’s helplines will be open 4pm–9pm from 24 December to 1 January. Call 0808 801 0677 for the adult helpline; 0808 801 0711 for the youthline; and 0808 801 0811 for the studentline.
* Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) runs a mental health helpline 365 days a year (5pm-midnight). Call 0800 58 58 58.
* Cruse Bereavement Care’s helpline, for those who are bereaved, will be open from 10am-2pm on Christmas Day. Call 0808 808 1677 for support.
* The National Domestic Abuse Helpline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 0808 2000 247.
* The Silver Line provides support and friendship for those aged 55 and over. It’s open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 0800 470 8090.
This has been doing the rounds – we first saw it shared by a friend in the Lewisham BME Network group
1. Keep a ‘quarantine’ diary / blog
2. Write a ‘bucket list’ of 50 things you want to do when you are out of self-isolation
3. Join an online book club
4. Use private outdoor space to have access to fresh air
5. Use online videos to enjoy home workouts / keep fit / yoga or other exercise classes
6. Learn a new dance, using YouTube or just get moving to music
7. Get your cookbooks out and bake a cake or some cookies
8. Register for an online training course
9. Watch some films or TV box sets, or get recommendations from friends on what they are watching on Netflix
10. Spring clean your cupboards
11. Write a letter to a loved one or someone you care about
12. Choose 5 people you haven’t heard from for a while and send them a text message or Whatsapp message
13. Arrange group video chat sessions with your friends, get them booked in the diary
14. Read a book or download an audio book
15. Go through your wardrobe and list 3 items you don’t want anymore on Facebook Marketplace / Ebay or other online sites
16. Download some online games, and encourage your friends to download them too, and take part in online challenges together
17. Learn how to knit or crochet
18. Make or review your finances, budgets and savings plans
19. Use Comparethemarket or other similar websites to review bills and household goings
20. Go through your food cupboards and check expiry dates and reorganise using the oldest food first
21. Listen to Podcasts
22. Do a crossword or Soduku to challenge the mind
23. Learn a new language
24. Play board games
25. Play a musical instrument, or learn a new piece of music
26. Complete a puzzle
27. Have a Spa afternoon, have a bath, use a face mask, give yourself a manicure
28. Learn calligraphy
29. Use YouTube to learn a new skill or technique
30. Play board games
31. Colouring
32. Take time to reflect – what have you achieved over the last year, what are your future goals
33. Write a short story or start writing a novel
34. Spend some time on household maintenance, all those jobs we put off as we don’t have time!
35. Organise all of your photos on your phone or make a Photobook
36. Rearrange all your furniture, make your home feel like a different space
37. Write a list of all your friends and family and the gifts you want to buy them for Christmas this year
38. Play on a games console (e.g. Nintendo, Playstation or Xbox)
39. Create a ‘Mind Map’ (to capture the thinking going on in your head)
40. Clean up your emails
41. Make and install a bird feeder
42. Play with your pets
43. Do some work in your garden / private outside space
44. Upcycle something in your house
45. Learn how to draw / paint
46. Learn how to make soap or scented candles
47. Make greeting cards
48. Trace your ancestry, spend time talking to family and go through photo albums
49. Do the housework
50. Sleep…get lots of it, time to rest and recharge
It is with extreme sadness that we have to announce that we recently heard that one of our Lewisham LGBT Forum members, Paul Quigley, has died from Coronavirus COVID19
Paul was also a much loved volunteer with 17-24-30 National Hate Crime Week and Rainbow Boroughs
Sending out Love & Light 💔
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
Photo copyright (c) Mark Healey
During this difficult period we will be sharing and updating information across various social media channels so please do follow us on:
Twitter: @LGBTLewisham
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1619959918290050/
WordPress: www.LewishamLGBTForum.wordpress.com
NB for the avoidance of doubt, if it don’t have our logo on it, then it ain’t us!
You can find up to date resources, links, and info about the latest Coronavirus COVID19 situation plus free films, books, and conferencing apps etc on our dedicated page https://lewishamlgbtforum.wordpress.com/coronavirus/
We have uploaded a new page of Coronavirus COVID19 info, links and resources
It contains links to the latest info about the virus from NHS and Public Health England and WHO (World Health Organisation) plus key Twitter accounts to follow. We’ve included links for local Mutual Aid support groups via Lewisham Local, and national Mutual Aid support via CovidAid19.
We’ve included a listing of free conferencing apps which make it easier for groups of friends to stay in touch with each other.
We’ve also included links for free online books including children’s books, and free LGBT films via the Leeds Queer Film Festival, plus links for free 3 months of movies via MUBI.
If anyone has additional resources they would like us to include, please contact us
Stay safe ❤️
Sending out a HUGE thankyou to all those who responded to our call for recommendations for our Trans Recommended Books/Authors List.
A special thanks to Juno Roche, Mzz Kimberley aka Kim Tatum, Ramses Underhill-Smith, and Fox Fisher for giving us their personal book recommendations and allowing us to use their photos in the booklet/posters. An additional big thankyou to cliniQ, and Lily Bowden at publishers JKP for helping us with additional materials for posters for the display version.
There was a total of some 40 or so recommendations.
We would very much like to thank both L&Q and Metro for their generous support in helping us out with LGBT flags and printing of bookmarks and business cards which form part of the displays.
Our specially curated list and display forms part of our drive to raise Trans visibility in the borough of Lewisham generally, and specifically during LGBT History Month where previously there has been an almost total absence of Trans people.
Given recent attacks on the Trans community we feel it is important for us to support our Trans family, and reiterate the importance of LGBT solidarity and love, and emphasise #LGBTwithTheT.
Our Trans Recommended Books/Authors List is a companion piece to our previous Black/BAME LGBT Recommended Books/Authors List. The intention is to build the Recommended Books/Authors List to include a Lesbian List, a Gay List, a Bi/Pan List, a Disabled LGBT List, and a general LGBT+/Queer List.
Last year during Black History Month and LGBT History Month we used the pages/posters of our Black/BAME LGBT Recommended Books/Authors List as part of a poster display in Lewisham Library and others around the Borough of Lewisham.
Similarly, this year, Lewisham Library is hosting our Trans Recommended Books/Authors List in their window display space and also using some of the books in the list to form a display inside the libraries along with our Lewisham LGBT Forum rainbow bookmarks which were inserted in each book to let readers know where to reach us. We hope this will be farmed out to other Lewisham Libraries and venues.
You can open and download a copy of the Trans Recommended Books/Authors List in PDF format here: trans-books-list.pdf
You can open and download a copy of the Black/BAME LGBT Recommended Books/Authors List in PDF format here: bame-lgbt-author-books-list-xc.pdf
The PDF can be read as an electronic document and also forms a series of 14 A4/A3 posters (it will print well up to A3 size).
Please get in touch with us if you’re interested in hosting a display of the list.
We also have an expanded display pack version with ancillary posters of Trans related books.
