Crucial support for LGBT+ community

The charity is particularly raising awareness of mental health and well-being as part of its partnership with the Covid Wellbeing NI project which provides a range of resources to help people manage their health and wellbeing during the pandemic.

The Rainbow Project is also calling on people to seek support if they have been the victim of a hate crime.

The charity has seen a 10 per cent rise in the reporting of hate crimes against the LGBT+ community and is keen to highlight that it is here to support anyone who is suffering and in need of advice.

Director of The Rainbow Project, John O’Doherty said: “The lockdown period has raised anxiety and stress for many people including those within the LGBT+ community. Through our partnership with Covid Wellbeing NI, we are working to ease the emotional toll of Covid-19 and support our service users.

“We know that mental, physical, and sexual health are all intertwined, and therefore people need to take a holistic approach to their wellbeing. As lockdown measures ease and we start to open up society again, we are encouraging people to practice safe sex, and if concerns arise over sexual health, we offer the fastest testing facilities in Northern Ireland for syphilis and HIV. We understand the anxiety caused by sexual health concerns but by not opening up and getting tested, the effects on a person’s health can be exacerbated.”