Who we are and what we do

We are the

" BOSTON BELLES TRANSGENDERED SUPPORT GROUP"

Our work was started on the 10^th September 2004, with an inaugural social evening at which we has just 10 attending, today our evenings are averaging an attendance of 30 per evening.

Our mission is to encourage the social interaction between members of the transgendered community, from the Boston area and its environs, together with, where applicable, their partners, by providing these social support evenings in a safe anonymous environment, with suitably safe parking.

We provide confidential Help, Support & Advice for transgendered persons and their wives and partners,

We seek to improve the acceptance of our community and understanding by the public at large, of who and what we are about!

We seek to achieve this by having a presence at public events either in person, with our display stand at events such as Boston Community Showcase and Lincolnshire Pride weekend and by leaflets and advice at the Lincoln County Show.

We have our own website and associated facilities, in fact if you enter “Boston Belles Transgendered Support Group” into most search engines you will have at least 100 links to try.

We have received funding from the Community Champions fund, to have published a short leaflet to further try to educate the public about Transgenderism, which is actually a medical condition over which we do not have control, as it is born within us.

It is a part of who we are, it is part of us that makes us the individual that we are and members of the human race!

The leaflet has been a great success and we were overwhelmed by the demand for it, copies were also made available to the organisers of Sparkle Weekend, in Manchester by request.

Transgenderism is far more common that is usually believed, it is estimated that at least one male person in five will at some time in their life, experience the pressing urges to cross dress, male to female.

The figure for the female to male transgendered is not easily available as they are not easily distinguishable, due to Fashion trends allowing and encouraging the female to adopt clothing that has been predominately designed originally for the male,

thereby masking those who are of a transgendered nature.

What we did in 2006

Attendances at our Social Support evenings are ever improving, we now averaging 30 per evening. There is an ever-increasing demand for our confidential support services, whether it is over the telephone, by e-mail or face-to-face meetings.

Our financial stability has improved, due mainly to our fundraising efforts with the Raffles at our social support evenings. Some grant income has helped us to offset some of our operational costs.

In February, we participated in the first Lincolnshire LGBT History Month. We mounted an informative display for the whole of the month in the central library in Boston, where Stacy and Belinda were there to answer the questions from the public on the late opening evenings.

With some specific grant funding, from Community Champions, we published a short brochure about Transgenderism. This was very well received. We originally budgeted for 250 copies; to date we have distributed well over 500 copies. Copies were available at the SPARKLE information centre in Manchester as well as at all the events that we attended.

We showed our presence at the first ever Lincolnshire Pride event for two whole days in July. This was a great success and we hope to improve on it for 2007. over 7000 persons came through and saw our display.

Some of the Committee members have been undertaking formal training in running a sustainable community group.

September saw our presence at the Boston Community Showcase event in Central Park, Boston with our display stands, and some 4000 people enjoyed a great family day out, in really great weather.

Belinda underwent a three day training course at the Police Academy in Hampshire in conjunction with her duties on the Independent Police Advisory Group for East Division, where she represents the views of the transgendered community at large.

October saw us commence assisting in the training of new recruits to the Police Service. We are making a presentation to each batch of trainees, to inform them about Transgenderism, so that they are aware of whom we are and what we are about. We have five intakes diarised for 2007.

November saw us Launch the LINCOLNSHIRE KALEIDOSCOPE, A consultative forum for the LGBT Community. This is now being formalised to go ahead as an entity in itself to enter into service agreements with the local authorities to provide services to the LGBT Community...

December was our Christmas party, which was a great success and seemed to be enjoyed by all 40 attending .

Planning is advancing for LGBT History Month in February 2007 where we will be repeating our displays in the library and our appearances to answer questions from the public at large on Transgenderism.

There are new projects scheduled for 2007, so we hope to be able to tell you more, this time next year.