LGBT charity Albert Kennedy Trust celebrates 25th anniversary
The Albert Kennedy Trust, which helps homeless LGBT young people, has marked its 25th anniversary.
It celebrated the milestone on Monday with a reception at Manchester Town Hall hosted by Lord Mayor of the City of Manchester, Councillor Susan Cooley.
The organisation, which was set up in 1989 by campaigner and foster carer Cath Hall, renamed itself following the death of teenager Albert Kennedy.
He died aged 16 after falling from a car park roof in Manchester city centre, while being chased by several attackers in a car. Albert was a runaway from a children’s home in Salford.
Over the past several years, Albert Kennedy Trust has seen an increase in LGBT young people relying on its services.
It now provides almost 8,000 beds per year and predicts a further 50% rise in demand over the next 12 months.
Chief Executive Tim Sigsworth said: “My hope for the next 25 years is that AKT will no longer be needed, because society has reached a level of equality and fairness where young people are accepted by their families and mainstream provisions truly recognizes and meets their needs.”
AKT Founder Patron Cath Hall added: “There’s still work to be done, there is still a lot of negativity about which means the trust now has more young people coming to us than ever before. The economic climate at the moment is making it very tough for young people to survive, things are very very difficult.”
