My Beautiful Laundrette
Cinema Social offers community groups, grassroots and not-for-profit organisations the opportunity to book a FREE private screening at HOME!
Cinema Social strives to strengthen HOME’s connections with local community groups, bringing people together for a shared, uplifting and inclusive experience in HOME’s welcoming cinema space. Cinema Social is exclusively for groups who are making a difference, supporting young people and communities, or working to promote positive change.
Twenty-three of us went to see My Beautiful Laundrette, a 1985 British romantic comedy-drama film. It was directed by Stephen Frears and written by Hanif Kureishi, and was one of the first films released by Working Title Films.
Set in London during the Thatcher years, the film reflects the fraught relationships between members of the Pakistani and English communities at that time. The story focuses on Omar (Gordon Warnecke), a British man of Pakistani origin, and his reunion and eventual romance with his childhood friend Johnny (Daniel Day-Lewis), now a street punk. The two become the caretakers and business managers of a launderette.
The British Film Institute ranked My Beautiful Laundrette as the 50th-greatest British film of the 20th century.
The film was shot around Wandsworth, Battersea and Vauxhall, all districts of South London. The location of the building which housed the laundrette on Wilcox Road, Vauxhall, was given a Rainbow Plaque in 2021. Following demolition of the building, a Rainbow Plaque was reinstalled in February 2026.
Rainbow Plaques is a programme led by London LGBT+ Forums’ Network, which identifies hidden and lost LGBTQIA+ heritage in our streets and public spaces.
Growing older with pride through community and healthcare support
Growing older is a privilege, and LGBTQ+ people deserve to do it with connection and pride. Learn about our work and how our foundation supports older LGBTQ+ people.
Across the UK, LGBTQ+ people are living longer, fuller lives. Older LGBTQ+ people are parents, partners, friends, volunteers and community leaders. They shaped the communities we know today, and their contributions continue to make our communities stronger.
Ageing is not the same for everyone
Many older LGBTQ+ people face loneliness, social isolation, poorer health outcomes and concerns about accessing inclusive healthcare and social care.[1] Some worry about whether they can be open about who they are. Others may not have the same support networks that many people rely on as they grow older.
At LGBT Foundation, ageing well is about much more than living longer. It is about staying connected to the people who matter, maintaining independence and feeling respected, valued and included. Older LGBTQ+ people should have access to the community and healthcare they need to thrive.
“connection and community can improve quality of life in later years“
Community activities and specialised GP support
Our work is the blueprint for inclusive ageing. Through Pride in Ageing, LGBT Foundation supports older LGBTQ+ people across Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region through social groups, community activities, information and opportunities to shape the services that affect their lives. By bringing people together, tackling isolation and amplifying the voices of older LGBTQ+ communities, the programme demonstrates how connection and community can improve quality of life in later years.
Through Pride in Practice, we support GP practices to deliver inclusive and welcoming care for LGBTQ+ patients. The programme has transformed healthcare across the UK, giving healthcare professionals the tools, knowledge and confidence to better support LGBTQ+ people while helping patients feel safer and more confident accessing care. Next time you’re at your GP, ask them about Pride in Practice and how they support inclusive LGBTQ+ healthcare.
Ageing is not just about adding years to life. It is about ensuring everyone can age with independence, connection, good health and pride.
Getting older should never mean facing things alone. Discover support, information and community at lgbt.foundation or call our national helpline on 0345 3 30 30 30.
[1] LGBT Foundation, 2020. Hidden Figures: LGBT Health Inequalities in the UK
Manchester Midday Music
Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley Street, Manchester M2 3WS
We have FREE tickets for the following concerts (usually £15.25 / Concession £13.25). Please let us know if interested as soon as possible here.
Monday, 26 October – 1.00pm – 1.50pm – Scott Brothers Duo
Jonathan Scott organ / Tom Scott piano
Rossini arr. Scott Overture to The Italian Girl in Algiers
Handel arr. Scott Andante from Organ Concerto Op 4, No 1 in G
Strauss II arr. J. Scott Kaiser-Walzer Op 437
Falla arr. Scott Ritual Fire Dance
Rachmaninoff arr. Scott Adagio Sostenuto from Piano Concerto No 2
Wagner arr. Scott Ride of the Valkyries
Brothers Jonathan and Tom perform in instrumental combinations which cover the entire keyboard spectrum with a busy international concert schedule of performances across the UK, as well as at major festivals and concert halls in Spain, France, Germany, Norway, Finland, Romania, Sweden, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Switzerland, Netherlands, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea. Their online performance videos have totalled well over 100 million views and are among the most watched in the world.
Friday, 13 November – 1.00pm – 1.50pm – A4 Brass
Jamie Smith cornet / flugelhorn / Jonathan Bates tenor horn / Mike Cavanagh baritone horn / Chris Robertson euphonium
Strauss Festmusik der Stadt Wien
Mozart Overture, The Marriage of Figaro
Doss Moskito
Vaughan-Williams English Folk Song Suite
Bruckner Locus Iste
Gregson Brass Quartet No. 2
Grainger Molly on the Shore
Gounod Finale from Faust
A4 Brass Quartet comprises principal players from some of the UK’s top brass bands, including Black Dyke, Grimethorpe Colliery and Brighouse & Rastrick. With “technical virtuosity in abundance” (Brass Band World), these four astonishing musicians come together to perform both lyrical and high-octane works, forming a distinctive and new take on chamber music.
The Quartet’s unique blend of instruments creates an exclusive sound that stands out from the standard brass quartet. With this unusual instrumentation, A4 Brass has actively developed their repertoire, commissioning new music, composing and arranging music themselves.
Tuesday, 1 December – 1.00pm – 1.50pm – Hyung-ki Joo piano
Mompou Variations on a Theme of Chopin
Możdżer Improvisation on Chopin Prélude Op 28, No. 7
Joo Selection from Childhood
Ravel La Valse
“A smart, dashing performer with an industry buzz created as much by his charismatic presence as by his work at the keyboard”. Billboard
Pianist, composer, and creative force Hyung-ki Joo is redefining the concert experience, playfully blending storytelling with musical innovation to engage audiences beyond traditional classical formats. On stage, he enraptures audiences with his jovial and contagious stage presence as well as his energetic, brilliantly virtuosic performance.
Waterside Arts – 1 Waterside Plaza, Sale, Trafford M33 7ZF
Waterside are committed to ensuring their programme reflects the communities they serve, creating opportunities for LGBTQ+ artists to develop their work, share their stories and connect with audiences.
Join them this autumn and discover some of the remarkable LGBTQ+ artists helping to shape the future of theatre.
For more information and booking – click here
Get 10% off tickets – quote code TENLOVE at check out!
Friday, 9 October – 7.30pm – What Wood Victoria Do?
How on earth have we all survived the past decade of modern living without Victoria Wood’s observational wit and wisdom?
Thursday, 15 October – 8.00pm – The Luxurious Time: A Queer Love Story
A true story that recounts the author’s life with his partner, as the man he loves succumbs to Alzheimer’s disease.
Friday, 16 October – Saturday, 17 October – 7.30pm – Close Enough To Touch
A play about sex, heartbreak … and toilets.
Tuesday, 20 October – Thursday, 22 October – 8.00pm – Turn Your F***ing Phones Off
A dark, absurd and fiercely hopeful exploration of human connection in the Information Age.
Tuesday, 3 November – 7.30pm – I Was A Teenage Bisexual
Junior just wants to be an ordinary guy but it feels like everyone knows he isn’t.
