Liverpool FC Supports LGBTQ+ Youth with Pride Range Donations
Earlier this month, Liverpool Football Club invited our GYRO colleagues Chris and Connie to the LFC stadium at Anfield to receive proceeds from the club’s Pride retail range.
YPAS Gyro and The Michael Causer Foundation were the recipients of £15,000. The donation is made up of proceeds raised over three years from sales of the club’s Pride range, which was launched in 2019 and includes a range of colorful items, from T-shirts and hoodies to flags and souvenirs.
Our MarComms team, Natalie and Cynthia joined Chris and Connie and LFC staff at a celebratory lunch at Anfield, where they were presented with a cheque by Reds legend John Aldridge and the club’s director of impact, Rishi Jain.
The donation will support GYRO’s vital services for LGBTQ+ youth in Liverpool. These safe spaces provide community, support, and resources for young people.
To find out more about this day at LFC read their full blog HERE.
YPAS & GYRO team – Left to right- Connie, Cynthia, Natalie & Chris
We wanted to sit down with Chris our Wellbeing Service Co-ordinator and Connie who joined the organisation a few months ago as Wellbeing Practitioner about what this donation means to them and the impact GYRO makes to the LGBTQ+ youth in Liverpool.
How important are groups like GYRO for Children & Young people from the LGBTQ+ community?
Chris: “GYRO provides a vital safe space for LGBTQ+ youth, a rarity in our community. As an alcohol and drug-free zone, it offers young people a precious escape from isolation. These spaces are essential for fostering community and support.”
Connie: “LGBTQ+ youth often lack the familial support available to other minority groups. Groups like GYRO and TAY are crucial, providing essential peer support, mentorship, and a sense of community.”
What is your hope and wish for everyone entering a GYRO group/ event/ session?
Chris: “We hope GYRO empowers young people to embrace their identity, build confidence, and forge new friendships. By providing a safe space, we aim to help them escape societal pressures and discover their full potential.”
In what ways can organisations and businesses partner with GYRO support the LGBTQ+ community?
Connie: “Besides donations – which as a niche youth group within a regional charity any donation has a big impact – a hands-on approach with skill sharing is invaluable, as our service users are incredibly diverse and both meeting all their different needs whilst supporting them in pursuing their dreams is a broad-ranging task. Being able to offer a bespoke experience to a young person who has experienced adversity can be life-changing.”
How will the donated funds be utilised to enhance GYRO’s services, and what future initiatives are you considering?
Chirs: “Donated funds are used to buy resources from coloring pens to make up fancy trips to the theatre. Trust us, the queer joy is real that you help to create with every £1 donated! We have lots of ideas for plans such as residentials, merchandise, building on our gender-affirming clothes, etc.”
Connie: “There are several pertinent issues relevant to our young people: public disorder, intersectionality, migrant rights, trans visibility, and safety. Funding allows us to create meaningful experiences and initiatives in combatting these to inform and protect our service users. However, it is also equally vital to be able to provide recreational opportunities such as days out and trips which allow our young people to create positive and affirmative memories.”
A big thank you to LFC for their donation and their continued support.