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Community News

New Look for Switchboard

Besi Besemar May 27, 2018

Brighton and Hove LGBT Switchboard launch their new brand and logo this month to give clarity to how they support local LGBT+ people.

Brighton and Hove LGBT Switchboard is the city’s longest established LGBT+ organisation providing a listening ear to LGBT+ people in Brighton and Hove since 1975.

CEO Daniel Cheesman, said; “Last summer we engaged with the local LGBTQ communities through the ‘Your Switchboard needs you campaign’. It was clear that whilst people were aware of the long, 43 year, history of Switchboard, there was sense of not being sure of what we offer, other than the helpline.

Daniel Cheesman
Daniel Cheesman

“We have listened to this feedback and our new logo and brand aim to highlight all Switchboard projects under our new tag line ‘connecting you to LGBTQ support. We want to tell people that Switchboard is a charity for LGBTQ people looking for a sense of community, support or information. We support them directly through specially developed services, or link them to other organisations.”

One of the considerations of Switchboard was whether or not they should change their name.

Daniel continued; “We thought long and hard about changing the name. One of our challenges with the ‘Switchboard’ name is that some people only associate this with the helpline. We are very proud of the 43 years of service that the charity has provided to the community and the trust that comes along with this legacy and as such felt it was important to keep our name. Instead we are confident that our website, communications and logo will help us tell our story and communicate our offer in a more coherent and relevant way.”

Switchboard is rolling out their new logo and brand over the coming weeks in the lead up to the summer and the various outreach events including Pride and Trans Pride.

Daniel added; “We have worked with a volunteer on devising the new brand and logo. We didn’t want to spend money on paying someone to do this at a time when charity funds are increasingly needed to finance our front line services.

“Connecting people to LGBTQ support is what we do, whether this is through our general or trans survivors helpline or one of our LGBTQ specific projects including the Health and Inclusion Project, Older LGBTQ Project, LGBTQ Disability Project and the Rainbow Cafe for those living with dementia. We are clearer about communicating what we do and how it supports and aligns with other organisations in the City.”

For more information about Switchboard, click here: www.switchboard.org.uk

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