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Between 2024-25, we’ve reached more people than ever before. From delivering over 1,300 counselling sessions to supporting young people through Rainbow Youth and launching new work like our Cancer Champions programme, this report shows the real difference that support, safety and community can make in people’s lives.

At its heart, this report is about people. It’s about those who trusted us with their stories, and the staff, volunteers and partners who make this work possible every day. It shows how, together, we are not only changing lives, but helping to build a more equal and inclusive society.

As we look ahead, our focus remains clear. We will continue to stand with our community, deliver vital services, and push for the lasting change needed to build a better Northern Ireland for LGBTQIA+ people and their families.

You can view the full report below

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As Simon puts it ‘Visibility helps us find community’

‘It helps us find each other, find role models and other ways of existing in this world’

‘Its a real opportunity for us to show some positive visibility for trans and non-binary people

‘Especially with the current negative rhetoric in the media at the minute’

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It’s something we’ve been working towards for a while, and it comes at a time when the need for support and space in the North West has been steadily growing.

Why this space matters

Over the past few years, more people have been accessing Rainbow services in the Foyle area, particularly through Rainbow Youth, but across all of our work.

Our previous space had reached its limit. It was clear we needed something that could properly support what’s already happening, and what’s still to come.

This new centre gives us that.

What’s here now

The centre brings a range of services together in one place, including sexual health support, counselling, peer support, cancer support, youth services, and wider community programmes.

Just as important as the services is the environment itself.

The aim was to create somewhere people feel comfortable coming into, somewhere open, accessible, and genuinely welcoming, without barriers.

Hearing from people using it

Since opening, it’s been encouraging to hear how people are experiencing the space.

Young people have talked about how it feels more open and easier to be in, particularly for those with sensory needs. Others have mentioned the difference having more room makes, being able to move between spaces, see what’s happening, and take part in more activities.

Those small things add up to a very different experience.

A full circle moment

There’s also something significant about opening this centre in Foyle.

This is where The Rainbow Project began. Now upgrading with a new space reflects how much has changed, not just in the organisation, but in the scale of need and the visibility of LGBTQIA+ communities across the region.

Looking ahead

The new centre includes a number of flexible spaces that can be used in different ways, from support groups and youth work to events, exhibitions, and community gatherings.

To find out more about the centre and venue hire contact us at: studio@rainbow-project.org

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Socially conservative political pressures in Northern Ireland have significantly shaped the pace of LGBTQIA+ rights, contributing to delayed reforms. As a result, Northern Ireland was the last part of the UK to decriminalise homosexuality and to legalise same-sex marriage. LGBTQIA+ communities experience disproportionately poorer health outcomes and care. This is particularly evident in mental health: The Rainbow Project’s own survey of more than 1,100 members highlights the scale of the issue, with 39% reporting self-harm, 45% experiencing suicidal ideation and 65% reporting depression.

Scott Cuthbertson, CEO of The Rainbow Project, takes a selfie with the Rainbow Project bloc at Belfast Pride in 2025. Image: Astra Photography NI

Commenting on the award, Scott Cuthbertson, Chief Executive Officer of The Rainbow Project, said: ‘We are delighted to be one of the 10 winners of the 2026 GSK IMPACT Awards. The Rainbow Project is a charity about making change: as LGBTQIA+ people, we know that the status quo does not work for us, so our impact is vitally important to us. We have worked hard to build an organisation that meets the needs of the communities we serve, while standing resilient to the challenges faced in Northern Ireland. We are very much looking forward to the leadership development programme provided by The Kings Fund, to continue to improve our impact in future.’

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This decision runs contrary to the Executive’s stated agreement to participate in this trial, and demonstrates that the apparent need for evidence-gathering and more research are being abandoned in favour of political game-playing and culture wars.

Alexa Moore, Policy Campaigns & Communications Manager at The Rainbow Project, said, “The Executive claimed that its ban on puberty blockers was based on evidence: this decision is very clearly based on politics. This clinical trial was held up by Executive parties across the board as a means by which to gather the evidence for the use of blockers, assess their safety and efficacy, and make a decision on their use on that basis.

“Trans communities are bearing the brunt of a political culture that views us as a stick with which to beat political opponents, not as real people with real lives and real healthcare needs. This decision demonstrates that no amount of evidence, no amount of research, no amount of suffering within trans communities will trump the need for politicians to score political points against each other at our expense.”

A Freedom of Information Request submitted by Belfast Live and seen by The Rainbow Project showed that, when approving the indefinite ban on puberty blockers, “Ministers agreed that the scientific and medical advice must be followed and noted the importance in public messaging of referring to the clinical trial as providing an evidence base for future policy decisions in this area.”

Scott Cuthbertson, CEO of The Rainbow Project, said, “The Health Minister’s reversal of his position on this clinical trial, coming on the same week as the Justice Minister was forced by Executive colleagues to remove protections for trans people from her Hate Crime legislation, demonstrates very clearly that this Executive is not interested in doing anything at all to improve the lives of trans people.

“We are clear: the Executive’s decision to ban puberty blockers was contingent on both the funding of gender services and participation in this clinical trial. All Executive parties agreed to this course of action. If Northern Ireland will not partake in these trials, Northern Ireland should not have a ban on puberty blockers – it should be reversed, and doctors should once again be empowered to make decisions in the best interests of their patients.”

ENDS

Notes to the editor:

• The Freedom of Information request referenced above can be found here: https://www.rainbow-project.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Final-Executive-Minutes-E-M-24-22-Executive-meeting-10-December-2024-1.pdf
• The indefinite ban on puberty blockers, passed by the Executive in December 2024, only applies to their use as treatment for under-18s experiencing gender incongruence. Puberty blockers remain routine medicine used in other treatments, including for under-18s, such as precocious puberty.
• The Justice Minister stated in the Assembly on Tuesday 10th February that “I sought the agreement of [Executive] colleagues to include “transgender” in the list of protected groups under the hate crime provisions in the sentencing Bill. Regrettably, there has been a lack of consensus on that measure, so I have had to remove “transgender” from the list of protected groups identified in the Bill.”

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