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Age Concern swept home to win the Community Category at the star-studded Gay and Lesbian Awards 2007 night held recently at Claridges Hotel, London.

Age Concern’s ‘Opening Doors’, the first national programme of its kind to support and champion the older LGB community, beat off competition from EACH (Education, Action Challenging Homophobia) , The Albert Kennedy Trust, OutRage, Elton John Aids Foundation, The Black Gay Men’s Advisory Group and The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement to win the Community Award.

Opening Doors was nominated as the winner by public vote. The campaign has been a success at a local level in providing direct services, support and advice to older LGB people where it’s needed most.

Antony Smith, Age Concern England’s LGB Officer, said: ”The best thing about this award is that if, just a few years ago, you had put the words Age Concern and lesbian and gay together, people would have been completely non-plussed. This will enhance our status as an LGB inclusive organisation, and the status of all older lesbians and gay men. Just being nominated is a great accolade, especially given the stature of our co-nominees.”

The Awards were launched in 2005 to celebrate the contributions made by distinguished individuals and organisations to the lesbian, gay and bisexual community in categories including fashion, performing arts, business, media, sports and community.

Simon Cherry, creator of the Awards said: 'It’s stunning to think that there are no other initiatives out there that fully embrace the gay community…… I wanted an Award for real people, people who had achieved what most would agree was success - despite their sexuality and the problems that brought with it.'

Opening Doors is an Age Concern initiative that works to ensure that all its services are gay-affirming and that older LGB people won’t have to go back into the closet to use them. A range of information and resources is available free of charge, there is an e-mail newsgroup, website, and tailor-made training on LGB ageing issues for groups.
www.ageconcern.org.uk/openingdoors

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