A £49,700 National Lottery grant will see a group of 14 to 25 year olds, themselves LGBTQ, lead the project with children’s charity Barnardo’s.

Hidden history

They will delve into local archives, record interviews with older generations and share their findings online, as a touring exhibition and as an archive at North Tyneside Libraries.

[quote= Jack Stoker, Project Peer Mentor] "North Tyneside has a rich history and a strong LGBTQ presence, so finally having this group is monumental to finding out what, if anything, existed before and the secrets of how they used to live." [/quote]

As well as exploring changing attitudes, influences on North Tyneside’s social scene and the impact of national milestones over the past 60 years, the group aims to bridge the gap between themselves and previous generations by sharing their stories for the first time.

Ivor Crowther, Head of HLF North East, said: “Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, young people will uncover the hidden heritage of the LGBTQ community in North Tyneside and, for the first time, tell the stories of local people who paved the way to changing attitudes and influenced today’s social scene.”

Personal project

For the group, the project is personal and a chance to develop a stronger sense of belonging, identity and pride. They also hope to raise awareness of the history and positive impact LGBTQ history has had on young people in North Tyneside.

Jack Stoker, a Peer Mentor for the project said: “Personally out of this project I want a sense of belonging in our history, where did those before go, what did they do, how did they live? All questions which need to be answered. North Tyneside has a rich history and a strong LGBTQ presence, so finally having this group is monumental to finding out what, if anything, existed before and the secrets of how they used to live."

Brandon Lee, a participant in the project, said: “For me it’s good because it will help me to understand what life was like for my lesbian grandmother. To understand how she grew up in a society that didn’t understand or accept her lifestyle and who she is. I think it would be good to show people what the actual history of our community is and how we have grown and evolved.” 

For more information, and to get involved visit the Barnardo’s website.