The Proud Trust
The Proud Trust has a long history of championing LGBTQ+ inclusion. We were founded as a charity in 2015, but our story began decades earlier in the 1970s, when grassroots support for LGBTQ+ people was forming in Manchester. This early work was vital to plant the seeds of community, connection and acceptance in a time when being LGBTQ+ often meant being isolated, invisible, and unsafe.
Founded by LGBTQ+ activists, youth workers and educators, The Proud Trust grew from those seeds, understanding there was a generation that needed support to not just survive but to thrive. Over time these blossomed across the UK into structured, youth-led programming, a national digital support service, youth-informed training and our Rainbow Flag Award, a national quality assurance LGBTQ+ inclusion framework.
Today, firmly embedded in the heart of Manchester but with a national reach, we carry our mission forward with pride. As custodians of The Proud Place — Manchester’s dedicated, purpose-built LGBTQ+ centre and the first of its kind in Europe, we use this home to deliver a range of support both locally and nationally.
We have led and grown collaboratively with the UK’s national LGBTQ+ youth work network through shared learning and resources, joined-up thinking and problem solving.
Whether it’s a workshop, resource, or a listening ear, our work offers a safe and affirming environment for LGBTQ+ young people and the people in their lives to connect, learn and grow.