Christmas Meal

This year 73 members of Out In The City enjoyed a meal at the 1853 Restaurant.

As the capacity of the restaurant is only 50 people we had two Christmas meals! We took over the restaurant on Thursday with the balance attending on Friday where there were other members of the public present.

The 1853 is a training restaurant run by students studying Hospitality and Catering. In every aspect the service was excellent, the atmosphere was friendly and relaxed and the food was of high quality.

We shall definitely be returning next year.

More photos can be seen here.

Henry Gerber – 100 years ago

Did you know the documented fight for LGBT+ equality in America started decades before the 1969 Stonewall Uprising?

While the groundbreaking protest blazed a trail for present day LGBT+ rights, the movement can be traced back to 1924, when a Chicago man named Henry Gerber formed the Society for Human Rights.

This month marks 100 years since Gerber launched what’s largely regarded as the country’s first-ever gay rights group. On 10 December 1924 he published a newsletter, Friendship and Freedom, for distribution among its small membership.

Unfortunately, the organisation was short lived. Within months Gerber and fellow members of the group were arrested on obscenity charges. Though the charges were eventually dropped, the legal fees bankrupted Gerber and the scandal cost him his job forcing the group to disband.

Only two issues of Friendship and Freedom were printed and no copies are known to survive today, however a review described the first issue as including a Walt Whitman poem, an essay on Oscar Wilde and an article on “self-control.”

Gerber died just over fifty years ago on 31 December 1972, at the age of 80, living long enough to see the Stonewall Uprising and the start of a new era of LGBT+ rights activism.

Rainbow Lottery Super Draw!

Our Christmas blockbuster Super Draw is BACK this festive season, and we’re spreading some holiday cheer! Your support of Out In The City means you’re already in with a chance to win a whopping £3,000 Christmas cash bonus on Saturday 21 December – but you can always top up your tickets for extra chances to win!

The possibilities for spending your prize are endless:  

• Home looking a little tired? Spruce up your living space with a New Year’s makeover!
• Into Tech and Gadgets? Upgrade your gadgets or treat yourself to the latest tech innovations. Whether it’s a PS5 Pro, the new iPhone 16, or smart home devices, the choice is yours.
• Hit the January sales! Hit the shops and indulge in a shopping spree, treating yourself and your loved ones to special gifts and holiday essentials.
• Fancy a getaway? Plan the vacation you’ve always dreamed of, whether it’s an escape to a winter wonderland or a planning ahead for some summer sun
• Or why not give a little back? Spread the joy by giving back to your favourite charities, contributing to a cause that holds a special place in your heart, or even planting trees!

Please support Out In The City by buying a Rainbow Lottery ticket or two (or more!)

With each Rainbow Lottery ticket, you are not just entering to win exciting prizes, you are also supporting our mission to support older LGBT+ people.

It’s a vital part of our fundraising as we receive 50p for every £1 spent and you have the chance to win cash prizes each week from £25 for three numbers up to a jackpot of £25,000 for six numbers – while helping us to achieve more for the LGBT+ communities over 50 years.

Your regular weekly tickets already enter you into the draw to win this fantastic prize – but did you know you can now top-up your tickets, just for the Super Draw weeks!? And just imagine what you could do with this huge prize …

Buy tickets here.

LOUD Cabaret – Thursday, 19 December 8.00pm

LOUD Cabaret is back with another fabulous line-up of LGBTQ+ talent!

LOUD showcases the most fabulous of rising stars from across Bury and beyond. Expect tantalising musicians, side-splitting comedians, captivating dancers and a line-up of talented additions for your delight on a monthly basis. Thursdays have never been so exciting!

December’s event will feature Alexa Vox, Tequila Thirst, and Josh Jones. Your host for the evening will be Mancunian writer, actor and activist Nathaniel J Hall, Artistic Director of Dibby Theatre.

Tickets: £11 standard / £9 subsidised / £13 supporters (inc fees)

The Box @ The Met, Market Street, Bury BL9 0BW